December graduation celebrations for University of Reading students
Release Date 15 December 2011
This week, more than 1,200 students graduated from the University of Reading at a series of ceremonies in the Great Hall at the historic London Road campus.
The event is always a special time in the University's calendar, but there was even more reason for celebration this year as employability for Reading graduates reached its highest point for a decade, with 70% of Reading graduates in graduate jobs or further study.
Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Tony Downes said: "After benefitting from education of the highest standard, this year's graduands will join the 150,000 people from 180 countries who have graduated from Reading. Many of them will go on to achieve great things in areas such as biological sciences, food and nutritional sciences, agriculture, archaeology, law and climate change research, to name but a few. Congratulations to all and we wish them the very best for the future."
The University is also delighted to announce that 2012/13 undergraduate applications are strong, with numbers at the start of December 2% higher than in 2011.
Professor Downes added: "The University is maintaining its reputation as a University of choice - in recent years attracting an average of six applications per place from exceptional candidates. We're confident that in 2012 Reading will continue to go from strength to strength and build on the outstanding student experience we currently offer.
"Next year's relocation of our renowned Institute of Education to the newly refurbished London Road campus will mean a dedicated new central Reading home for the 1,000 trainee teachers who choose us as the place to begin their careers and for the Institute's leading educational research."
This year's graduation ceremony also saw a leading climate scientist awarded with an honorary degree. Professor Julia Slingo, Chief Scientist at the Met Office and a leading figure in climate research for more than 30 years, was awarded a Doctor of Science.
Professor Slingo has held some of the most senior roles and taken the lead in climate science, founding the Walker Institute for Climate System Research at the University of Reading in 2006. Her work this has shaped our understanding and our response to the dangers posed by climate change facing some of the most vulnerable countries of the world.
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For all media enquiries please contact James Barr, University of Reading Press Officer on 0118 378 7115 or by email on j.w.barr@reading.ac.uk