Its work was always to ‘contribute to the amelioration of human life and conditions.’ Today the university summarises this purpose in a simple phrase: the University of York exists for public good.

The University of York is home to more than 20,000 students and 5,000 staff from across the world. The university's diverse community fosters a sense of belonging - one that champions opportunity for all - and draws on a rich tradition of social justice and combating inequality in a way that is also distinctive to the City of York.

In times of uncertainty and global unrest, the achievements of York's staff, students and alumni continue to inspire us and have a positive impact on the local, national and global stage.

The University of York is one of only four UK universities - alongside Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial - to offer Gold (Teaching Excellence Framework 2023) and be Top 10 in the UK for research quality (Times Higher Education ranking of the most recent Research Excellence Framework 2021).