University of Reading Notable Alumni

The University of Reading was established in 1892 as University College, an extension college of the University of Oxford. It received its university status in 1926. The University of Reading is usually categorized as a red brick university, which reflects its original foundation in the 19^th century. The university has a very long list of alumni and their success stories, which signifies that each field here has the best in its store to offer. Whether it is science, arts, law or business, the faculty here aim to provide you with great opportunities. In this blog, we will get to know about the University of Reading Notable Alumni and their influential stories!

University of Reading 

Since 2016, the University of Reading has been arranged into 16 academic schools. It has a student crowd of around 19,000 students comprising 13,000 undergraduates and 6,000 postgraduates. The university offers a wide range of programs ranging from the pure and applied sciences to language, humanities, social sciences, business, and the arts. It continuously keeps its field of expertise updated to ensure that the best education reaches all minds. The students get enrolled here with the dream of joining the other notable people of Reading and the university makes sure that you get the most out of it.  This public university in Berkshire, takes pride in its history, its academic profile, the vibrant and full environment it offers to its students and the expertise it offers to the world. The people of Reading have always contributed in helping to the growth of this world whether it is science, military or politics, Reading is proud to be once called the home of all the great leaders this world has seen.

University of Reading Awards and Ranking

QS World Universities Rankings for 2022	202nd
Times Higher Education 2022	201-250th
Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2021	201-300th
CWTS Leiden Rankings 2021	90th
Complete 2022	39th
Guardian 2022	46th
Time/Sunday Times	40th
British Government Assessment for Teaching Excellence Framework	Silver
Biannual Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education	1998, 2005, 2008 and in 2011

Notable Alumni of the University of Reading

More than 150,000 national and international students from over 180 countries have studied at the University of Reading. The first international student at Readings was from Kenya in 1908. The university has a very long list of notable alumni who are well known in their respective fields, ranging from broadcasting to writing and art. Some of them are-

• Julian Barratt (comedian, BBC’s The Mighty Boosh)
• Richard Holmes (military historian and television presenter)
• Richard Adam (former finance director of Carillion)
• Wilfred Owen (First World War poet and soldier)
• Rotimi Alakija (Nigerian disc jockey, record producer and recording artist)
• Anton Apriantono (Indonesian Politician)
• David Bedford (Runner)
• Catherine Abbott (Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Edinburgh)
• L.J.F. Brimble (botanist and editor of Nature magazine)
• Jay Wynne (TV weather presenter)
• David Atkins (Chief Executive, Hammerson plc)
• Martin Noble (musician, Noble in the band British Sea Power)
• Alex Gregory (rower, gold medalist in the coxless fours at the 2012 Olympics)
• Audrey Blackman (sculptor, poet)
• Robin Bextor (film and television director, father of Sophie Ellis-Bextor)

Julian Barratt

Born on 4 May 1968, Julian Barratt Pettifer is an English Actor, comedian, musician, and record producer. Being a comedian and comic actor, he is known for his surreal humour and black comedy. This famous personality was born in Leeds and did his education at the University of Reading. He is known for his work in various works especially The Mighty Boosh in the 2000s. 

Richard Holmes 

Edward Richard Holmes (29 March 1946 – 30 April 2011) was a British military historian who is known for his many television appearances. He is one of the other famous personalities who did his education at the University of Reading. He was awarded a PhD in 1975 at Readings. Holmes was also the co-director of Cranfield University’s Security and Resilience Group from 1989 to 2009 and also became Professor of Military and Security Studies at Cranfield in 1995.

Richard Adam

The university has not only given us famous faces on television but also behind it. One such personality is Richard Adam (born in November 1957), who is an English chartered accountant and businessman associated with the financial management of media, construction, and property-related companies. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Reading. He was also a board director of construction and services business Carillion from April 2007 to December 2016. 

Wilfred Owen 

Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC (18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918) was a famous English poet and soldier. He is known for his work of war poetry and was one of the leading poets of the First World War. During time of 1911 to September 1913, he attended classes at University College, Reading, which is now known as the University of Reading. Later, at the urging of the head of the English Department and took free lessons in Old English. 

Rotimi Alakija 

Rotimi Alakija, who is better known as DJ Xclusive, born on 16 October 1980, is a Nigerian disc jockey, record producer and recording artist. He moved to Nigeria to pursue his higher education at an early age and moved back to the UK to study physics and computer science at the University of Reading. He has also won the award of World’s Best DJ in 2010. 

From the above-provided information, we can see that the University of Reading have its notable people and alumni not only in a particular field but in every other area whether it is science, arts, television, politics, business, or writing. This list of University of Reading Notable Alumni provides you with a good understanding of the quality of education provided here. If you wish to study in the UK at the University of Reading, contact the counselors at Study abroad and book your counselling session today!