The University of Reading’s governing council has decided to keep the department of chemistry open ‘for the time being’. Reading proposed moving chemistry to the school of pharmacy in October.
However, the university will still end recruitment for the MSc and MChem programmes and will only support chemistry research aligned with allied health professions, dentistry, nursing and pharmacy (Research Excellence Framework’s (REF) unit of assessment 3 (UoA3)).
In correspondence sent to members of the chemistry department on 21 November, the university said that the six undergraduate chemistry degree programmes and the foundation programme would remain within a distinct department, with the council ‘anticipating updates on performance progress’. In addition, the university said it would seek to retain accreditation of these programmes by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
Reading is the third university in the UK to propose closures in its chemistry department in 2024. In February, Aston University revealed its intention to close its BSc chemistry and BSc applied chemistry courses and, in July, the University of Hull published proposals to close its entire chemistry department.
On 22 October, the University of Reading sent a set of proposals to staff stating that the University Executive Board had recommended moving the chemistry programmes to the school of pharmacy from August 2025, apart from the MSc and MChem programmes which would be closed and taught out. The board also recommended that the university end support for any chemistry research at the university that was not aligned with UoA3 and that its purpose-built Chemical Analysis Facility should be moved and managed as a central facility.
In this communication, the university said the proposed changes were due to ongoing underperformance in both the National Student Survey (NSS) and REF.
These proposals were discussed at a council meeting on 20 November. The following day, staff were told that the council had agreed with the university that chemistry was underperforming and that addressing the ‘issue of persistently poor student experience’ reflected in the NSS would require ‘changes to issues of culture, resources and focus’.
In the post-meeting briefing to staff, it was stated that the council had endorsed recommendations for a ‘more focused programme offer and research’, which means closing the master’s programmes and reducing the scope of chemistry research at the university.
Restructuring ‘necessary’
The department of chemistry will now remain separate from the school of pharmacy. However, staff were told that ‘restructuring within the chemistry department will be necessary’. A consultation period will now begin and the university said it would also work through the ‘detailed implications’ for students, especially those who will be having their courses taught out.
The University of East Anglia’s vice-chancellor recently warned that financial pressures could lead to 10,000 university jobs being lost in the UK this year.
‘Following a meeting of the university’s governing council, the University of Reading’s department of chemistry will remain open,’ a university spokesperson told Chemistry World. ‘Members of council agreed that a consultation should begin on a range of changes within the department, including a more focused range of taught degrees and areas of research. We have informed staff and students of the updated proposals.’
Helen Pain, chief executive of the RSC, who met with the vice chancellor at the University of Reading after the proposals were first announced, told Chemistry World that although she welcomed the news, she did so ‘cautiously’ in light of the very public challenges facing the higher education sector in the UK.
‘At the RSC, we received a large volume of correspondence that made it clear that students, employers and the chemistry and wider scientific community were concerned both by the original proposal to close the department and the reasons behind it,’ she says. ‘There are still plans to stop flagship MChem degrees, whilst retaining the BSc route, with Reading still envisaging a narrowing of research focus.’
Pain says the RSC will continue to ‘raise the voice’ of the chemical sciences, emphasising the importance of ensuring continued access to chemistry research and teaching across the UK. ‘We reaffirm our commitment to input to any forthcoming review the university conducts and to supporting our members at Reading through this uncertain period,’ she adds.
Alexander Reip, chief technology officer at Oxford nanoSystems and a University of Reading alumnus, also says that while the decision brought ‘relief’ the recommendations for the department’s future remained a ‘cause for concern’.
‘The MChem programmes have long served as a critical pathway for students pursuing further studies or research careers and their loss risks limiting opportunities for the next generation of scientists,’ Reip says. ‘Similarly, narrowing the department’s research focus could constrain its ability to address interdisciplinary challenges and contribute to a broader range of impactful scientific advancements.’
Reip says the department had received ‘remarkable support’ from a diverse group of stakeholders. ‘Students, staff, alumni (myself included) and local industry have united to emphasise the department’s immense value to the university and beyond. This collective effort has underscored not only the department’s significant contributions to academic excellence but also its vital role in fostering innovation and addressing regional and global challenges.’
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