University of Reading, Research university in Reading, England
The University of Reading is a research university with several sites across the town of Reading, with the main Whiteknights campus covering more than 130 hectares of parkland and teaching buildings. The campus connects modern faculty buildings with older structures and contains libraries, laboratories, sports facilities and student residences distributed among the green spaces.
The institution began in 1892 as an extension college of Christ Church Oxford, initially offering evening courses for local workers. It received a royal charter in 1926, becoming an independent university with full degree-awarding powers.
The campus bears the name Whiteknights after a medieval estate whose ruins remain visible on the grounds today. Students and visitors regularly use the wide green spaces for walks and rest between buildings, while historic trees cast shade over the pathways.
Buses run directly from Reading town center to the campus, and the journey takes around 15 minutes depending on traffic and route. Reading station sits about 3 kilometers (2 miles) away and offers connections to London in under half an hour.
The meteorology department is the only specialized facility of its kind in England and conducts research on weather patterns and climate change. Its students learn forecasting techniques and work with real weather data arriving daily from satellites and ground stations.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
