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Throughout your studies, you'll benefit from an extensive range of facilities within the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development – from arable and dairy farms to analytical laboratories.

Our specialist facilities will provide you with the practical skills to complement your theoretical studies.

Visit our School pages to view the full range of facilities


Farm machinery

Our farms

The University has considerable land-based resources in the Reading area, with approximately 800 hectares of mixed farming lands and woodlands spread throughout the surrounding areas of Arborfield, Shinfield and Sonning.

Crop and Environment Laboratory

The Crop and Environment Laboratory is a state-of-the-art controlled environment facility dedicated to crop physiology and crop breeding research.

Lab work performed by a student

Specialist laboratories

Our specialist analytical and research laboratories support an array of research and education projects across the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development.

The Crop Research Unit

Our 180-hectare Sonning Farm is home to a 15-hectare Crop Research Unit, where we undertake field trials and field-based research into arable, forage and soft fruit crops.

Student using a laptop outdoors

Life on campus

Our main campus is set on 130 hectares of beautiful parkland, so you'll find plenty of places to relax. Our campus is home to a thriving community and features the Students' Union, Library and places to eat.

Meet the team

Our community of staff includes internationally renowned academics, recognised for the excellence of their teaching and research.

Our research

Our research is driven by key global challenges and aligns closely with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are the highest placed UK University for Agriculture and Forestry at 22nd in the world (QS World Rankings by Subject, Agriculture and Forestry, 2024).