University of Birmingham announces new structure to advance its Global Top 50 ambition
University has approved a move to a three-Faculty organisational and academic management structure, with the new Faculties in place from August 2027
The University of Birmingham has approved a move to a three-Faculty organisational and academic management structure, with the new Faculties in place from August 2027.
The three Faculties will be organised around the following: arts, humanities and social sciences; health, medicine and life sciences; and science and engineering.
Our motivation is the pursuit of academic excellence, and the purpose of the changes is to create the best possible environment for Birmingham’s long-term academic success.
Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, said:
"We are in a position of genuine institutional strength. Unlike many institutions, the University of Birmingham has enjoyed significant success in recent years, with strong finances, record research income, improving student satisfaction and strong student recruitment both domestically and internationally.
“This reorganisation is about creating the conditions for our staff to do their best work, making the University easy to work with for our partners, and ensuring that Birmingham remains a place where exceptional people do exceptional work, for the benefit of our city, our region, and the world.
“Our motivation is the pursuit of academic excellence, and the purpose of the changes is to create the best possible environment for Birmingham’s long-term academic success.”
Birmingham’s external environment has changed materially since 2008, when the existing University structure was set. Research funders - and UK Research and Innovation in particular - are consolidating support into mission-led, large-scale and cross-disciplinary programmes, with growth concentrated in collaborative work that cuts across traditional disciplinary lines. The new model will allow the University to thrive in this new landscape.
For partners, funders and collaborators, the change will create a more connected and accessible University, better able to bring together expertise at scale, respond more quickly to emerging challenges and deliver large, interdisciplinary programmes with confidence. It will also strengthen Birmingham’s role as a driver of innovations, skills and opportunity within the city and the West Midlands region.
This reorganisation will allow the University to bring its strengths together more effectively, working with partners to address major societal challenges, support economic growth in our region, and compete at the highest level internationally.
The existing College structure will remain in place until 31 July 2027, ensuring continuity for students, staff and partners during the transition.
Notes for editors
Notes for editors
For more information, please contact Tom Miller t.miller@bham.ac.uk or +44 (0)7966 311427
About the University of Birmingham
- The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 40,000 students from over 150 countries.
- England’s first civic university, the University of Birmingham is proud to be rooted in one of the most dynamic and diverse cities in the country. A member of the Russell Group and a founding member of the Universitas 21 global network of research universities, the University of Birmingham has been changing the way the world works for more than a century.
- In 2026, the University of Birmingham rose eight places in the QS World University Rankings to 68th, its highest position in a decade and marking a rise of 23 places over the last four years. Over the last five years, Birmingham has risen more – and more consistently – than any other British institution ranked among the world's top 100 universities.
- The Complete University Guide 2027 league table rankings have seen the University of Birmingham continue its upward momentum, rising two places, from 14th to 12th, placing it firmly as one of the best universities in the UK. Each year, the Guide league tables rank the best universities in the UK, overall and in 74 subject areas.
- Students choosing Birmingham join a university that prides itself on exceptional links to a wide variety of leading industries and employers. Recent graduate employment data showed that more 2024 Birmingham graduates got highly skilled jobs than the 2023 cohort. Just over 80% of the University’s students were in graduate-level jobs or further training 15 months after graduation (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2023/24 - June 2026).
- The University of Birmingham was named among the world’s top 250 institutions for producing the most employable graduates by the Global Employability University Ranking & Survey 2026 (GEURS). Birmingham is one of only 16 UK universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, listed in the ranking which surveys major international employers to identify which universities they believe best prepare students for the workplace.