Release Date 21 November 2012

Discover why the University of Reading was voted to have the best campus environment in the UK >>>

The University of Reading's stunning Whiteknights campus has once again been voted one of the best green spaces in the country following a nationwide public poll.

The University has been ranked number three out of nearly 1,500 public spaces eligible to be voted in the People's Choice Award as part of the Green Flag scheme, which is one place higher than last year. The Whiteknights campus was also the most highly rated university space.

All Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces were entered into the annual poll with the public asked to vote for their favourite. Reading received its second Green Flag Award earlier this year in recognition of its well-maintained and well-managed campus.

Judges were impressed by the 134-hectare site which contains wooded areas, open meadows, a lake, shrubs and borders and county standard sports pitches. A network of paths links these different and exciting areas, making it an accessible and enjoyable place for all to enjoy. They also paid special tribute to the University grounds team's 'dedication' and their 'willingness to go the extra mile'.

University of Reading Vice-Chancellor Sir David Bell said: "We are delighted that our Whiteknights campus was voted one of the best green spaces in the country. We take great pride in the campus which is one of the most beautiful university settings in the UK. This award is testament to the commitment of the University's grounds and facilities maintenance team. Without their hard work, our campus would not be such a wonderful place to work, study and visit."

The Green Flag Award scheme is the benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the UK. Grounds management, innovation and the way facilities are tailored to the needs of the community are taken into account.

The University of Reading is one of the most consistently popular higher education choices in the UK with its campuses proving to be one of the major draws for students. This year students voted the University of Reading as one of the leading places to study in the country, rating the University's 'environment on campus' the best in the UK. (Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2012)

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ENDS

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

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The University of Reading is ranked among the top 1% of universities in the world (THE World University Rankings 2012) and is one of the UK's top research-intensive universities. The University is ranked in the top 20 for the number of awards it received from research councils for 2010/11.