From pioneering research and environmental innovation to student journalism and emerging technologies, the two decades between 1986 and 2006 were a period of ambition, discovery and lasting impact at the University of Reading.
As part of our year-long edition of CONNECTED, celebrating our centenary, we are revisiting defining moments from across the decades.
In this edition, we look back at 1986 to 2006 – a time when the University became the first to receive the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement, launched the Students in Schools programme to inspire future generations, installed its first solar panels, helped pioneer the world’s first human cyborg, celebrated the legacy of groundbreaking environmental research, and opened a new home for its archives and special collections.
Did you know?…
Did you know? In 1986, the student newspaper, The Shell, was rebranded and renamed The Spark.
Today, after a hiatus from campus newsstands, The Spark has made a welcome return in the form of a student-led magazine, reinvigorated and raring to give the student voice a new platform.
And, many of our alumni have been contributors to Spark over the years, including honorary graduate Phil Creighton.
Did you know? In 1989 we were the first university to win the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement.
Today, the University has also gone on to receive five Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Higher and Further Education. These prizes have been awarded for outstanding work in: Connecting Communities with Climate Change (2021), Teaching and design applications in typography, through print and new technologies (2011), World-leading archaeology: making the past work for the present (2009), Weather and climate science: research, training and informing environmental policymaking (2005), and Shakespearean research: internet and the Globe Theatre (1998).
Find out more about the Queen Elizabeth Prizes
Did you know? In 1991, the University launched its Students in Schools Programme – placing student volunteers in local schools to help raise children’s aspirations and encourage them to continue into higher education.
Today, the programme is still going strong, with our students providing over 3,000 hours of student support in schools last year.
Find out more about Students in Schools
Find out more about volunteering with the University of Reading
Did you know? In 1996, the University installed its first solar panels on a University building.
Today, solar panels have been rolled out across campus and now contribute 5% of our electricity. We’re on track to reach carbon neutrality on campus by 2030, having cut building emissions by 63% since 2008, and saved £51.4 million on energy bills.
Did you know? In 1998, we were at the forefront of future technology with the creation of the world’s first human cyborg by Professor Kevin Warwick.
Find out more about the world’s first human cyborg
Today, the University of Reading continues to push the boundaries of technology, with alumni making significant contributions to research and innovation. Among them is alumna Maitreyee Wairagkar, an Artificial Intelligence and Cybernetics researcher who has received several awards for her work.
Did you know? In 1999, lead was finally removed from petrol, decades after the pioneering research by University of Reading chemistry Professor Derek Bryce-Smith highlighted the dangers of lead pollution.
Today, our researchers and graduates continue to make a global impact through groundbreaking scientific research.
Keep up-to-date with the University’s latest research news
Did you know? In 2006, the University archives and special collections relocated to a new state-of-the-art store and reading room service at Redlands Road, alongside the Museum of English Rural Life.
Today, the reading room is open to the public, providing researchers and visitors with the opportunity to explore the University’s rich collections and conduct their own historical research.
Find out more about visiting the Special Collections
Alumni memories
It’s not just our campus that holds these stories. We also heard from alumni whose own University highlights span the years 1986-2006 – moments of friendship, discovery, love and lifelong connection.
Looking back at his at Reading from 1986 to1990, Computer Science graduate Basil Armoush, remembered:
“These were formative years — academically, on a personal level, and socially. I was blessed with having studied under inspiring staff, including Professor Keith Baker, whose leadership and dedication to innovation in learning left a deep impression on me.
“Living in Bridges Hall was another highlight of my University life. It was a lively community where lifelong friendships were forged, and where laughter and late-night debates hung in the air. The spirit of belonging made it feel like home away from home.
“I have returned to Reading many times since I graduated — drawn by fond memories and wishing to keep the town and the University alive in my life”
For English Literature & Language graduate Henrietta Tan (nee Duveen), who studied from 1991 to 1994, the Union bar and Spark newspaper office were as important to university life as the lecture theatre. She shared:
“I probably should have spent more time in lectures, but as an English Literature & Language student, I feel those hours in the Union bar and the Spark newspaper office were incredibly well spent.
“I was Music Editor for Spark for two years, writing music reviews, interviewing bands, reviewing gigs and judging Battle of the Bands. It was a glorious time for the music scene in Reading, and I’m so lucky to have had those opportunities and experiences.
“I’ve made lifelong friends from my time at Reading and still catch up regularly with my Spark editors and close friends from Bridges Hall.”
Psychology graduate Rachel Green, who studied at Reading from 1993 to 1996, recalled the friendships, traditions and sense of community that shaped her student experience. She shared: “I loved my time at Reading. I lived in Wessex hall then Hamilton Road and then Radstock Road. I loved halls and met all of the girls I went on to house share with.
“None of us had mobile phones – thankfully – and if your parents rang the hall someone left a note next to the three phones.
“I had some fabulous Psychology lecturers and, years later, there are aspects of my undergraduate degree that I still recall and that have been such a useful foundation in my work.
“I still have several friends that I see from my time there. It was an exciting, liberating and life-affirming experience.”
1997 MSc Applied Development Studies graduate, Samar Ihsan, joined Reading after receiving a British Council scholarship. Now a senior civil servant in Pakistan, Samar credits the University with helping shape their career:
“Our class was a mix of many international students from different countries and diverse backgrounds. My years in the UK and at the University taught me so much.
“I acquired knowledge about international development issues, made lifelong friends with whom I am still in touch, and developed expertise that has shaped my career.
“I continue mentoring young officers and students to go and study there.”
For 2000 Biotechnology graduate, Jo Morgan, Reading became much more than the place where she studied:
“I arrived at Bridges Hall, in October 1996 to begin my degree in BSc Biotechnology, expecting to return to my hometown in Kent once my studies were over. Little did I know, Reading would become my true home.
“Life in halls was full of laughter and lasting friendships. During this time, I also met my future husband. After graduating I began working in Slough but Reading continued to be my base.
“Major milestones in my life unfolded here: I married at Reading Town Hall, welcomed my child at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, and built a family life in and around the University area.
“Over the years, Reading has become more than just where we studied – it’s our family’s home.
“I treasure the local community and still enjoy the campus as a family, from peaceful walks by the lake and Harris Garden to relaxing at Park House and joining in on the many community events that the University hosts. What began as a student journey grew into a lifelong connection.”
For 2000 Meteorology graduate, Victoria Dodds, it was the reputation of the course that made Reading the perfect choice:
“I loved every minute of Reading and felt very lucky and privileged to be there. The lecturers were top notch, the department was welcoming and I developed a deep love and passion for all things weather.
“I made friends for life at Reading, met my husband and had a number of encounters with a cranky swan on campus.
“I was also lucky enough to spend a week in Norman, Oklahoma as part of my dissertation researching tornado forecasting.”
For 2002 Geography graduate, Kimberley Nelson, it was the warm welcome she received that drew her to Reading and the lasting friendships that she took with her. Kimberley shared:
“I visited lots of universities before choosing Reading. It was the people that sold it for me – the guides were so friendly and put a very green 18 year old from the shires at ease. The campus was beautiful and I loved how close everything was.
“My real stand-out memories were laughing with friends and the hilarious memories we made. The strength of that bond is so strong and we are still incredibly close.
“I even married my boyfriend from Reading, whom I met 25 years ago!”
For Beatrice Crestini, who came to Reading from Rome in 2002 through the Erasmus programme to study Foreign Languages and Literature, studying at Reading became an experience that shaped the rest of her life.
“I have fond memories of my time on campus – a totally different experience from university back home. I joined social clubs, made new friends, lived in a foreign country and began writing my thesis and doing research in the library.
“The Erasmus opportunity shaped the rest of my life. After many years, I am still living in the UK and have very fond memories of my time at Reading.”
For 2004 Development Policy, Processes and Practice MA graduate, Emma Sitambuli, one of her favourite memories was an impromptu gathering of African students in the Documents Library at IRDD.
“Before long, we were swapping stories about cultural practices from our different countries, only to realise that many were practically identical, just with different accents!
“Our star storyteller delivered each tale with such dramatic humour that we laughed the way Africans laugh – loudly, freely and from the stomach – completely forgetting that British library culture is built on sacred silence.
“It didn’t take long before a lecturer walked over, smiling, and said, ‘I see the African Union has convened in the UK today.’ That comment sent us into even louder laughter!”
Share your Story
Do you have an achievement, interesting story, or memory that you’d like to share with us? If so, then we’d love to hear from you at alumni@reading.ac.uk.
The University also invites you to reflect on Reading’s journey so far through its Centenary Wall of Wishes – a chance to share your message and celebrate this momentous year.
You can submit your message via the Centenary Wall of Wishes form.
