A SPECIALIST university has scored top marks in a survey of 139 English Unversities and Institutes. 

In the 2023 Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF), published today (Spetember 27), the Royal Agricultural University (RAU), gained the highest aggregate score alongside the Royal Vetinary College.

The RAU, in Cirencester, was part of the STEM cluster of 12 small specialist universities in medicine, technology, science and engineering. 

Last year, the RAU came second overall in its cluster. 

Professor, Mark Horton, pro-vice chancellor for research and enterprise, said that coming top is a 'real accolade' to their staff and students. 

"The RAU sets out to be relevant to the needs of modern society,"he said.

"With the climate and ecological emergencies, how we manage the land and produce food for the world is one of the most pressing societal issues of our time.

“The RAU is at the forefront of this research and how this knowledge can be applied by innovators and industry and we are really pleased to have had our work recognised in this way.”

The RAU was commended for its graduate start-ups, professional training and co-authorship with industry of innovation and discovery. 

RAU researchers have been awarded £1.4 million in research grants in the past year to develop their scientific investigations into land use and agriculture.

As well as this, the university is developing an Innovation Village to host industrial partners who will address how we manage the land in a sustainable and climate friendly way. 

RAU vice-chancellor, Professor Peter McCaffery added: “The RAU contributes more than £50m to the local and regional economy and the outcomes of this year’s KEF confirms that we continue to punch above our weight in the services we offer businesses, the provision of continuous professional development (CPD), our support for graduate start-ups and the intellectual property and research contract income we generate.

“We are delighted to have been recognised as a sector-leading university in the STEM subject cluster.

"It is testament to the RAU’s aspiration to be a great local university and to our commitment to the local and regional business and civic community – to making a real difference in people’s lives.”