Our reputation
As a multidisciplinary institute that, through scholarship, research, innovation and partnership, works to enhance the practice of medical education globally, we have received the following awards and rankings:
Academic excellence
- 21st for medicine in The Complete University Guide 2026
- Top 100 in the world for Life Sciences and Medicine, QS World Rankings by Subject 2025
- 10th in the UK for medical technologies The Complete University Guide 2026
University of Leeds rankings
- 86th in the world, QS World University Rankings 2026
- 6th most targeted by employers, High Fliers 2025 Report
- 21st in the UK, Complete University Guide
- Top 10 UK student city, Best Student Cities 2025
- We are a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities
Gender equality
We have been commended for our strong and continued commitment to gender equality in the form of a prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award.
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
Every six years, the UK’s four higher education funding bodies undertake an exercise to measure the quality of research undertaken by UK higher education institutions (HEIs). The funding bodies use the outcomes to inform the allocation of their research funding to HEIs. The Research Excellence Framework was the framework used in 2021.The research undertaken in the School of Medicine spans a number of disciplines. These include Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care as well as Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy.
Clinical Medicine
- 86% of research within Clinical Medicine was rated as either world leading or internationally excellent
- 100% of impact activities related to Clinical Medicine were rated as either world-leading or internationally excellent
Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care
- 94% of research publication within UoA2 was rated as either world leading or internationally excellent
Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy
- For UoA3, 95% of all research activities was rated as world leading or internationally excellent
The quality of our research and the funding it attracts means we’re able to invest in world-class facilities and academic staff who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research. As a result, our students will be taught by internationally renowned, inspirational academics working at the forefront of their fields.