Work with the Department of Computer Science

Research partnerships

We work with local, regional and global industries and third sector organisations to conduct research that solves industry problems.

As well as building on existing partnerships, we’re looking to forge new relationships, particularly in the Thames Valley.

Our collaborative research projects focus on:

artificial intelligence
data science
computer vision
big data analytics
high-performance computing
cyber-physical systems
service-oriented architectures.

Explore our research groups to find out how we can work together

Placement opportunities

Our students can take up work experience, summer placements or a professional placement year during their studies. This gives them the opportunity to put what they’ve learned into practice, get real-world experience and engage with potential employers.

By providing placements at your company, you’ll have access to dedicated computer scientists with up-to-the-minute knowledge and a passion to succeed. You will develop talent and create leaders for the future.

Previous students have undertaken placements at companies including: Goldman Sachs, GSK, Sony, Ernst & Young, BBC, Pepsico, BT, IBM, HSBC, Deloitte, O2, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, and Bayer.

Contact our placements team if you're interested in offering placements to our students

Our placement students take responsibility for real projects that directly impact our brands and customers. We're delighted to have offered some Reading students full-time employment following completion of their studies.

Rhys Williams, Consultant, Portfolio & Architecture, Global Digital IT, Elanco Animal Health, Eli Lilly

Your project: explored by our students

Benefit from the next generation of fresh thinkers and innovators.

Businesses are invited to put forward projects, initiatives and challenges for our final-year undergraduate students to take on as part of their studies.

These projects could focus on critical areas affecting your company every day, or areas you are looking to explore for the first time. Our academics will supervise students throughout the year - in collaboration with a co-supervisor from your business.

Upon completion receive the final project output - as a report and software.

Two men watch an off-camera speaker or presentation.

Why get involved?

Propose a research and development project key to your business and then benefit from the final project output.
Gain extra resource and a fresh perspective from energetic next generation minds.
Build your relationship with the University of Reading and benefit from wide-ranging research and academic expertise.
There are no financial commitments, only your time (1 hour per week during semesters 1 and 2), motivation, and effort are required.
Find a star of the future.

Apply online

Complete and submit the projects form.

Applications open from 1 October. The submission deadline is 15 January.

The project selection and allocation processes will run from March to July and each student will work on a project from September to May.

Industrial Advisory Board

Major international companies are actively involved in the development and review of our courses through our Industrial Advisory Board.

Companies currently participating include Nationwide, Sony, Microsoft and IBM.

The Board provides a valuable view of what the industry looks like from an external perspective.

We work together to develop our teaching and align it with the required skills to respond to industry needs.

Thames Valley AI Hub

Reading is home to the Thames Valley AI Hub (TVAI Hub), which is sponsored by our Department and Henley Business School.

The TVAI Hub pulls together the area's incredible AI and machine learning community of academics, researchers, technologists, clinicians and business strategists.

It enables everyone to learn, network, collaborate, share knowledge, and develop business opportunities and partnerships.

Learn more about the Thames Valley AI Hub and their events