Facilities to visit and use

Part of the community
As well as fostering a strong sense of community on campus, we enjoy close links with local residents, businesses, schools and colleges. Through university life and work we aim to make a positive difference to people’s wellbeing and to the economic prosperity of the Thames Valley region.

Open to the public
Our main Whiteknights campus is a short walk or ride from the centre of Reading. Set in 130 hectares of parkland it is one of the most attractive campuses in the UK. You are welcome to enjoy this peaceful green space, with its woodland walks, rare trees, licensed fishing lake, wildlife and conservation area.

Many campus facilities and events are open to the public, including:

• SportsPark, which runs programmes for adults and children and where you can play most popular indoor and outdoor sports. Amenities include a Bodyworx fitness studio, weights room, multi-purpose hard and grass courts and playing fields. Watersports are available nearby on the River Thames
• Three museums housing specialist collections relating to zoology (The Cole Museum), Greek archaeology ( Ure Museum) and rural life ( Museum of English Rural Life)
• Our Bob Kayley Studio Theatre at Bulmershe: a multimedia performance space that hosts plays, concerts and recitals.

You can also hire a number of University buildings for private events.

Local enterprise partnerships
Our work with both young and established businesses focuses on translating academic knowledge into real competitive advantage. We offer a variety of services, such as consultancy and collaborative research and access to our specialist facilities and expertise. We also play a leading role in many regional initiatives that support entrepreneurship. Our involvement with the Thames Valley Life Sciences Network promoting innovation in Life Science is a prime example.