Thrive through change with the Royal Agricultural University

The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) has been at the forefront of agricultural education and a key contributor to the land-based sector for 175 years. Today, the RAU has more than 1,100 students studying agriculture, business, environment, equine science, farm management, food, real estate and rural land management. The University, which is based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, prides itself on its links with industry and all courses are designed to meet the demands of the employment market for land-based expertise, both in the UK and worldwide.

Related Organisations

Connected Content

Farm-PEP aims to bring together all the sources of useful knowledge for Agriculture, whether from academic science, applied research projects, industry trials, farmers own trials or simple on-farm experience. Listed below are useful websites, organisations and websites that we know of.  Add any we've missed in the comments box or by adding as new content, or better still, as a new Group.  

The Farmer-Led Innovation Network (FLIN) are UK based organisations driving farmer-led innovation - working together to power up and increase the impact of farmer led innovation initiatives.

The Agricultural Universities Council (AUC-UK) is a collaboration of the UK universities with agricultural schools or departments. AUC-UK works together to coordinate our teaching and research, to make the biggest contribution we can to a resilient and sustainable future for agriculture, land management and food systems.

Building the right skills for the agricultural industry has been recognised as crucial to its future success.

Food, farming and land use need to undergo rapid and sustained change if the world is to address climate, biodiversity and health crises. This transformation requires changes in policy, yet will also rely on the actions of farmers and land managers on the ground. Their knowledge, skills and motivations, and those of their advisors, are crucial to success. This retreat provided an opportunity for educators who lead agriculture degree courses to share resources and inject fresh content into their courses. This retreat was funded by the Aurora Trust and The Mark Leonard Trust.

Farm-centric research generally involves On-Farm Experimentation and may be better described as 'Farm Action Research', i.e. research conducted at least in part by and for beneficiaries who also farm. 

The livestock industry is an integral part of the agricultural sector, encompassing various aspects of animal husbandry and production. It plays an important role in global food security and supports the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide.

Innovation for Agriculture (IfA) is an independent knowledge exchange charity that aims to bridge the gap between science and practice. 

Business and Innovation Mentoring Course from Farm491 and RAU. We’re excited to launch our very own online course which can be accessed by any entrepreneur across the world. The course encompasses four interactive modules which will see you develop your business plan and understanding of your customers

Agricultural research is conducted by a range of organisations, from individual farmers, through advisors, distributors, manufacturers, charities, societies, supply chain companies, levy bodies, universities and research institutes.  This page aims to connect across these often disparate sources.

An internationally excellent Research Institute” (REF, 2021). Shaping rural development policy and practice in the UK, Europe and further afield.

Knowledge Exchange in Agriculture in the UK is diverse, with many organisations involved. That is part of the reason for creating Farm-PEP, to help provide connections to what many percieve as a fragmented landscape.

A new Defra forum which will bring together stakeholders to identify and improve collaborative working on shared issues facing the agricultural sector.

Many of the most telling innovations that make a difference on-farm come from farmers themselves, or from close collaboration between farmers, advisors, industry and researchers

Policy plays a critical role in shaping the agriculture industry in the UK and Europe. Government policies can have a major impact on the way that farmers operate, the crops they grow, and the prices they receive for their products. Policy has a major effect on how land is managed and environmental outcomes.

Together, we’re creating plausible pathways, and practical, open science, to achieve Net Zero through the Agrifood system by 2050.

Hybrid conference held in Montpellier in October 2021 exploring Farmer Centric On-Farm Experimentation.  

An event to discuss how will we secure the plant varieties needed for more sustainable UK agriculture How will we secure the plant varieties needed for a more sustainable and resilient UK agriculture? Can the plant breeding community rise to the challenge, and what is needed to achieve this?

For the first time, universities across the UK have come together t

Aiming to strengthen the impact and benefit of agricultural research at scale. Supported by the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust.

Farming groups, scientists, and start-ups are teaming up to test how far cultured meat is a threat, or an opportunity, for UK farmers.

Where Growing and Innovation Meet. Let’s Grow Business, Farm491 is a UK based leading technology incubator and innovation space focused on the future of farming and food systems.

EU FarmBook is a collection of vetted best practices for farmers & foresters. All content in the library is provided by Horizon research projects. 

Identifying and increasing sustainable practices along the supply and production chains of European livestock.

Warwick Crop Centre is a national centre of excellence for research on fresh produce. We provide post-graduate training and specialise in research projects promoting sustainable agriculture, horticulture and food security.