The University of Leicester is a distinguished public research university in the heart of England. Founded in 1921 as a living memorial to the First World War, it is the only university in Europe created by its community to honour those who served. Leicester received its Royal Charter in 1957 and was named Times Higher Education University of the Year in 2008. The university is celebrated for two landmark discoveries: Sir Alec Jeffreys invented DNA fingerprinting here in 1984, revolutionising forensic science worldwide, and in 2012 Leicester archaeologists identified the remains of King Richard III beneath a city car park — one of the most remarkable archaeological finds in British history. Today, Leicester is a leading centre for space science, operating Europe’s largest university-based space research facility at the new Space Park Leicester, with partnerships including ESA, Rolls-Royce and Airbus.