In Reading, Berkshire, the United Kingdom, there is a public institution called the University of Reading. University College, Reading was founded in 1892, and in 1926 it was granted a Royal Charter. It is based on three (formerly four) campuses in and near Reading, Pennsylvania. The Schools of Art and Science founded in Reading in 1860 and 1870 are responsible for the university's initial formation. The University of Reading was established in 1892, and its Royal Charter was granted in 1926. With more than 20,000 students enrolled from over 150 different countries, it is currently ranked among the top 200 universities in the world. Within six months of graduation, 94% of its graduates were employed or enrolled in more education.

The train takes just 30 minutes from Reading's town center to London Paddington, where the main Whiteknights campus is located, and the London Road campus. Located on 130 hectares of parkland, the Whiteknights campus received its seventh consecutive Green Flag Award in 2018. The students' union at the university is ranked among the top five in the UK.

Reading has connections to organizations in approximately 50 countries and two foreign campuses, notably the University of Reading Malaysia.