Citizens of Change: Our second century
Five years of impact
Highlights from the first five years of our Citizens of Change strategy
Five years of impact
At the halfway point of the 10-year Citizens of Change strategy, we reflect on the last five years.
Since the launch of our Citizens of Change strategy, our community has worked together to turn ambition into action. Five years on, our vision and mission remain unchanged. We continue to change lives through education and research, working in partnership with our communities to become a truly inclusive university.
Over the coming months, we will work closely with colleagues, students, alumni, partners and our wider communities to shape this next chapter together, ensuring that a diverse range of voices and perspectives help inform our future direction and ambitions.
Below are just some of the highlights from the past five years.
Research-inspired Education
What we said we would do
Provide an inspirational and fulfilling education for all, within an empowering, supportive and exciting learning environment.
What we have achieved
- TEF Gold, reflecting our commitment to delivering an exceptional student experience and strong graduate outcomes
- We have worked with our students to transform our curriculum to ensure it remains relevant, inclusive and shaped by our world-leading research
- Introduced 100 hours of work-related learning across our degree programmes, helping students develop the skills, experience and confidence sought by employers
- Continued to improve in the National Student Survey (NSS) for student satisfaction and graduate outcomes
- Significant investment in digital learning
World-changing Research
What we said we would do
Create an inclusive and enabling research environment, delivering world-leading research that transforms lives
What we have achieved
- Our strongest-ever REF performance, rising 23 places to become a top 30 UK University for research quality
- More than doubled our research income, surpassing £100 million per year
- Launched five new research centres to tackle the most pressing challenges facing the world, from the climate crisis, future-proofing the cultural sector, harnessing the potential of space, and researching new and current threats to our health
- Invested in major research infrastructure, including Space Park Leicester
- Expanded our global impact through our partnership with Apollo Hospitals Group, combining expertise in digital health and precision medicine to advance research, education and healthcare innovation
Our Citizens
What we said we would do
Value, nurture and celebrate our people and relationships, ensuring they are inclusive, impactful, sustainable, and influence positive change in our world
What we have achieved
- Strengthened our civic impact through NHS partnerships, Space Park Leicester, public engagement and community-focused research
- Expanded our influence nationally, engaging ministers, parliamentarians, senior civil servants and industry leaders on key societal challenges
- Established the Leicester Climate Action Network (LCAN) as a national model for climate action, supporting Leicester’s journey to net zero
- Worked with regional universities and local authorities through the Universities Partnership to support skills, graduate retention and economic growth
- Launched the Leicester Institute for Policy connecting our world-leading research with policymaking and public debate
We change lives, we are Citizens of Change
Top 30 in the UK
We are in the top 30 in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), according to analysis by Times Higher Education
Top 15 in the UK
For student satisfaction in the 2025 National Student Survey, according to analysis by The Times
