University of Reading
The University of Reading is a UK public research university founded in 1892 that delivers undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs across sciences, humanities, business, and meteorology to students globally, with international campuses in Malaysia and Thailand partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1926
- HeadquartersReading, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What University of Reading does
The University of Reading is a UK public research university established by Royal Charter in 1926 and headquartered in Reading, Berkshire. It operates across three UK campuses (Whiteknights, London Road, Greenlands) plus international locations including a wholly-owned campus in Malaysia and a planned Thailand presence through the Global Link Institute partnership with Chulalongkorn University. The institution serves undergraduate, postgraduate, and research students across a comprehensive academic portfolio spanning arts, humanities, sciences, business, and professional programs, with 150+ taught postgraduate courses offered.
Core academic products include specialized MSc programs in meteorology and climate science — the Department of Meteorology holds a Regius Professorship, ranks 10th globally in Atmospheric Science per ShanghaiRanking 2025, and houses 5 Fellows of the Royal Society plus IPCC contributors — and the triple-accredited Henley Business School (AMBA, EQUIS, AACSB). Notable research outputs include an AI workforce resignation prediction tool co-developed with Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, face morph attack detection (Project EINSTEIN) with the Austrian Institute of Technology, the new MSc Applied AI for Business, and MSc Climate Change and AI. Research partnerships span the Met Office, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Honeywell, Boeing (Project MIST for contrail forecasting funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute), the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, and the John Templeton Foundation.
Revenue derives from four primary streams: tuition fees (£12,050 for UK postgraduate taught programs, £14,850 for Henley MSc programs, £26,450–£27,600 for international students), research grants from UK research councils and charitable foundations, Henley Business School corporate development and executive education programs, and international partnerships/franchises (notably University of Reading Malaysia and the Thailand Global Link Institute). The institution reports £500m+ capital investment in facilities over the last decade and a 95% graduate employment-or-further-study rate within 15 months.
University of Reading firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University of Reading
- Legal name
- University of Reading
- Website
- https://reading.ac.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1926
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- The University of Reading is a UK public research university founded in 1892 that delivers undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs across sciences, humanities, business, and meteorology to students globally, with international campuses in Malaysia and Thailand partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University of Reading industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)
Keywords
Where University of Reading is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reading
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
University of Reading business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tuition Fees: UK and international student tuition fees for undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and postgraduate research programs. Fees vary by program with UK students paying approximately £12,050 for MA Classics and £14,850 for MSc programs at Henley; international students pay approximately £26,450 to £27,600 depending on program.
- Research Grants and Contracts: Funding from research councils (ESRC, BBSRC, etc.), charitable foundations (John Templeton Foundation), government bodies, and industry partners for specific research projects and collaborations.
- Corporate Education and Executive Training: Henley Business School corporate development programs, executive education, and customized training for organizations.
- International Partnerships and Franchises: Revenue from international campus operations including University of Reading Malaysia and partnership programs such as the Thailand Global Link Institute initiative delivering UK degrees internationally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | UK/Home Postgraduate Taught - Full-time |
| Subscription | Annual | International Postgraduate Taught - Full-time |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | GREAT Scholarships for Indian Students |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
University of Reading product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The University of Reading is a UK public research university that delivers undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and postgraduate research degree programs across sciences, humanities, business, and professional disciplines. It operates specialized units including the triple-accredited Henley Business School and the Department of Meteorology, and generates additional revenue through research grants, corporate executive education, and international campus operations.
Product overview
The University of Reading is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate academic programs across multiple disciplines. The institution operates through its main academic departments and specialized schools, most notably the triple-accredited Henley Business School. Academic offerings span arts, humanities, sciences, business, and professional programs, with particular strength in meteorology and climate science through the Department of Meteorology, which offers specialized MSc programs (Applied Meteorology and Climate, Atmosphere Ocean and Climate, Climate Change and AI) recognized by the Royal Meteorological Society. The university provides educational services rather than commercial technology products, with its research outputs including AI applications developed in collaboration with external partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MSc Applied Meteorology and Climate
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of graduates in work or further study within 15 months (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use University of Reading
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
University of Reading technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
University of Reading partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- HoneywellcoreHoneywell leading sensor hardware integration from Yeovil facility for Project MIST - developing aircraft-based prototype humidity sensors for improving contrail forecasting and climate impact assessment, funded by UK's Aerospace Technology Institute Programme.
- BoeingcoreBoeing contributing aircraft integration expertise from Bristol site and Seattle operations for Project MIST developing contrail forecasting sensors and climate impact assessment tools.
- Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation TrustcoreCollaboration on AI workforce prediction tool for Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust with approximately 7,500 NHS employees. System predicts staff resignations before decisions are made using workforce data.
- Met OfficecoreClose research and training links with Met Office. Department building houses MetOffice@Reading centre focusing on regional scale weather systems. Met Office provides special data sets and material for teaching and research.
- European Centre for Medium-Range Weather ForecastscoreClose research and training links providing access to data sets and collaborative research opportunities in meteorology and climate science.
- National Centre for Atmospheric SciencecoreDepartment houses Climate Directorate of National Centre for Atmospheric Science.
- National Centre for Earth ObservationcoreDepartment houses Data-Assimilation Directorate of National Centre for Earth Observation.
- University of LeedsmajorCollaboration on research into monsoon controls and humid heatwave threats in India, using 84 years of weather data from 1940 to 2023.
- UK Met OfficemajorCollaboration on climate and heatwave research including monsoon patterns affecting India's coastal districts.
- Indian Institute of Tropical MeteorologymajorCollaboration on monsoon and moist heatwave research using decades of atmospheric data to forecast deadly heat conditions weeks in advance.
- Royal Tyrrell Museum of PalaeontologymajorMulti-year excavation of 75-million-year-old juvenile hadrosaur fossil with mummified skin discovered in Alberta's Dinosaur Provincial Park. Scientists from University of Reading collaborating on this significant dinosaur find.
- University of SouthamptonmajorArchaeologists from University of Southampton and University of Reading collaborated to uncover 5,000-year-old artificial island (crannog) in Loch Bhorgastail on Isle of Lewis in Scotland's Outer Hebrides.
- King's College LondonminorResearch collaboration on beetroot juice and chewing gum study finding that chewing sugary gum after beetroot juice enhances blood pressure-lowering effects through increased saliva acidity.
- Austrian Institute of TechnologymajorSafeTravellers project - building multi-modal biometric verification with fusion detection capabilities for landmark-based and AI-generated morphs across land, sea, airport, and rail environments.
- Chulalongkorn UniversitymajorPartnership with Chulalongkorn University through Global Link Institute for delivering 7 specialized degree programs (3 undergraduate, 4 postgraduate) in biotechnology, data analytics, and integrated management in Bangkok and Eastern Economic Corridor.
- Thai Government (MHESI)majorThai Cabinet approved proposal for University of Reading, University of Manchester, and University of Birmingham to establish permanent presence in Thailand through Global Link Institute, addressing Thailand's shrinking workforce due to declining birth rates and ageing population.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
University of Reading competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- University of Surrey: A mid-sized UK research-intensive university with a similar multi-disciplinary portfolio, comparable headcount band, and strong international recruitment, making it the closest structural peer to the University of Reading in the post-1992 / non-Russell-Group bracket.
- Loughborough University: A UK research university of similar size and standing, renowned for sport and STEM, with strong graduate outcomes metrics and comparable portfolio breadth – directly competitive for similar UK and international student segments as Reading.
- University of Bath: A research-led UK university with similar postgraduate strength, strong international student mix, and comparable REF positioning – competes head-to-head with Reading for postgraduate and international applicants.
- Lancaster University: A research-intensive UK university with a comparable multi-faculty portfolio, collegiate structure, and international partnerships, including a Malaysia campus that overlaps directly with Reading's Malaysian operations.
- University of Sussex: A UK research university of similar standing and scale with comparable breadth across sciences, humanities, and social sciences, competing for the same domestic and international student pools.
- University of East Anglia: A mid-sized UK research university with comparable REF performance, strong climate/environmental science reputation, and similar international student composition – direct comp for Reading's environmental sciences and meteorology positioning.
- Brunel University London: A London-area research university of similar size, with a comparable focus on applied and professional programs, competing for similar postgraduate and international student segments.
- Royal Holloway, University of London: A UK research university with comparable scale, multi-faculty portfolio, and international recruitment mix, competing for students in arts, humanities, business, and sciences.
- University of Exeter: A Russell Group-adjacent UK research university with comparable environmental/climate science strength (similar to Reading's Meteorology department) and similar business school offerings through a triple-accredited institution.
Broad incumbents
- Cranfield University: A UK postgraduate-only specialist university, heavily applied/research-focused with strong industry partnerships (aircraft, environment, management) – comparable to Reading's postgraduate and industry-collaboration model, particularly for aviation projects like Project MIST.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
University of Reading social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity of Reading financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University of Reading leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
University of Reading subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
University of Reading funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
University of Reading M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about University of Reading
What does University of Reading do?
The University of Reading is a UK public research university that delivers undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and postgraduate research degree programs across sciences, humanities, business, and professional disciplines. It operates specialized units including the triple-accredited Henley Business School and the Department of Meteorology, and generates additional revenue through research grants, corporate executive education, and international campus operations.
Is University of Reading a public or private company?
University of Reading is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was University of Reading founded?
University of Reading was founded in 1926. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is University of Reading based?
University of Reading is headquartered in Reading, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does University of Reading make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition Fees are the primary driver. The others are research Grants and Contracts, corporate Education and Executive Training and international Partnerships and Franchises.
Who are University of Reading's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are University of Surrey, Loughborough University, University of Bath, Lancaster University, University of Sussex, University of East Anglia, Brunel University London, Royal Holloway, University of London and University of Exeter. Cranfield University is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does University of Reading have an API?
No public API is recorded for University of Reading.
What industry is University of Reading in?
University of Reading's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHABAA, Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary). Its NAICS code is 61131 and its SIC code is 8700.