Editing SOAS University of London (section)

==Academic profile==
[[File:Brunei Gallery.jpg|thumb|The entrance to the Brunei Gallery]]
SOAS is a centre for the study of subjects concerned with Asia, Africa and the Middle East.<ref name="TheCompleteUniversityGuide">{{cite web |url=http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/the-school-of-oriental-and-african-studies |title=SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies) |work=The Complete University Guide |access-date=23 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127072609/http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/the-school-of-oriental-and-african-studies |archive-date=27 November 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> It trains [[government officials]] on [[secondment]] from around the world in Asian, African and Middle Eastern languages and area studies, particularly in [[Arabic]] & [[Islamic Studies]] – which combined with [[Hebrew]] formed the major bulk of classical [[Oriental Studies]] in Europe – and [[Standard Chinese|Mandarin Chinese]]. It also acts as a consultant to government departments and to companies such as [[Accenture]] and [[Deloitte]] – when they seek to gain specialist knowledge of the matters concerning Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The school has a student-staff ratio of 15:1, which in the Complete University Guide 2025 ranked 44th in the UK.<ref name="TheCompleteUniversityGuide"/>

===Library===
[[File:SOAS Library interior view.jpg|thumb|The interior of the SOAS library]]
The SOAS library is a library for Asian, African and Middle Eastern studies.<ref name="COPAC profile on SOAS Library">{{cite web |url=http://copac.jisc.ac.uk/about/libraries/soas.html |title=SOAS Library, University of London |publisher=COPAC |access-date=23 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503225055/http://copac.jisc.ac.uk/about/libraries/soas.html |archive-date=3 May 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> It houses more than 1.2 million volumes and electronic resources for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East,<ref name="COPAC profile on SOAS Library"/> and attracts scholars from all over the world. The library was designated by [[HEFCE]] in 2011 as one of the UK's five National Research Libraries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soas.ac.uk/library/about/collectionoverview/ |title=Brief Overview of the Collection |work=SOAS Library |access-date=27 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727205546/https://www.soas.ac.uk/library/about/collectionoverview/ |archive-date=27 July 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The library is housed in the Philips Building on the [[Russell Square]] campus and was built in 1973.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soas.ac.uk/centenary/the-soas-story/new-library-1973-1985/ |title=New Library (1973-1985) |publisher=SOAS, University of London |access-date=27 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822094556/https://www.soas.ac.uk/centenary/the-soas-story/new-library-1973-1985/ |archive-date=22 August 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> It was designed by architect [[Sir Denys Lasdun]], who also designed some of Britain's most famous [[brutalist]] buildings such as the [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]] and the [[Institute of Education]].

In 2010/11 the library underwent a £12 million modernisation programme, known as "the Library Transformation Project".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mcaslan.co.uk/projects/soas-library-transformation-interiors |title=SOAS Library Transformation Project |publisher=John McAslan + Partners |access-date=23 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511041542/http://www.mcaslan.co.uk/projects/soas-library-transformation-interiors |archive-date=11 May 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The work refurbished the ground floor of the library and created new reception and entrance areas, new music practice rooms, group study rooms and a gallery exhibition space.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soas.ac.uk/news/newsitem60373.html |title=Library Transformation Enters New Phase |publisher=SOAS, University of London |date=4 August 2010 |access-date=27 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822095549/https://www.soas.ac.uk/news/newsitem60373.html |archive-date=22 August 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

SOAS being a constituent college of the University of London, its students also have access to [[Senate House Library]], shared by other colleges such as [[London School of Economics]] and [[University College London]], which is located just a short walk from the Russell Square campus.

The library was used as a filming location for some scenes in the 2016 film ''[[Criminal (2016 film)|Criminal]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/criminal-review/5102368.article|first=Fionnuala|last=Halligan|title='Criminal': Review|website=screendaily.com|date=8 April 2016|access-date=10 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414173914/http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/criminal-review/5102368.article|archive-date=14 April 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Rankings===
{{Infobox UK university rankings
| ARWU_N =
| ARWU_W = 
| QS_N = 
| QS_W = 508=
| THE_N = 61
| THE_W = 401–500
| LINE_1 = 0
| Complete = 71
| The_Guardian = 90
| Times/Sunday_Times = 65
| LINE_2 = 0
| TEF = Silver
}}
[[File:SOAS 10 Years.png|thumb|upright=1.2|SOAS' [[Rankings of universities in the United Kingdom|national league table]] performance over the past 10 years]]
The 2022 [[QS World University Rankings]] placed SOAS 2nd in the world for Development Studies,<ref>{{cite web |title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022: Development Studies |date=23 January 2025 |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2022/development-studies |publisher=QS Top Universities}}</ref> 10th for Anthropology<ref>{{cite web |title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022: Anthropology |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2022/anthropology?&search=soas |publisher=QS Top Universities |access-date=11 March 2023}}</ref> and 15th for Politics.<ref>{{cite web |title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022: Politics | date=23 January 2025 |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2022/politics?&search=soas |publisher=QS Top Universities}}</ref> For Arts & Humanities overall, it was placed 67th in the world by the same rankings.<ref>{{cite web |title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022: Arts and Humanities |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2022/arts-humanities?&search=soas |publisher=QS Top Universities |access-date=11 March 2023}}</ref> As an institution, it placed 508th overall in the QS World University Rankings 2025, having fallen from a high of 252nd in 2017.<ref>[https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/soas-university-london QS Global World Rankings 2025]</ref> SOAS ranked 33rd globally for International Students and 49th for International Faculty in the 2023 QS World University Rankings.<ref>[https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/news/soas-among-worlds-best-attracting-international-talent SOAS among world's best for attracting international talent]</ref>

SOAS's Department of Financial and Management Studies (DeFiMS) is ranked within the top-60 for Business Studies in the 2023 [[Rankings of universities in the United Kingdom|Complete University Guide]]'s League Table.<ref>{{cite web |title=Business & Management Studies |url=https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/business-and-management-studies |publisher=Complete University Guide |access-date=11 March 2023}}</ref> The research strength of the department has been previously recognised by the 2021 [[Research Excellence Framework]] (REF) where 81 per cent was rated as world-leading and internationally excellent, placing it 41st in the country by GPA.<ref>{{cite news |title=REF 2021 Business and Management Studies |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/content/ref2021businessmanagementstudies |access-date=11 March 2023 |work=Times Higher Education}}</ref>

The results of the 2021 REF took the form of profiles spread across four grade levels. Hence, there are different ways to present them and to rank the departments. According to published tables by ''[[Times Higher Education]]'', SOAS is ranked 4th by GPA in the UK for Anthropology (an improvement from 16th in the previous exercise in 2014) and 25th in the UK for Development Studies.<ref>{{cite news |title=REF 2021: Anthropology and development studies |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ref-2021-anthropology-and-development-studies |access-date=12 May 2022 |work=Times Higher Education}}</ref>

===Scholarships, bursaries, and awards===
A range of scholarships and awards support SOAS degree programmes, with an application process based either on academic merit or with a focus on supporting students from specific countries or connected with particular areas of study, as well as some bursaries addressing students' financial needs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/scholarships/|title=Registry – scholarships|publisher=SOAS University of London}}</ref>

=== Publications ===
SOAS publishes [[academic journal]]s such as ''[[The China Quarterly]],''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-06 |title=London's stronghold of Taiwan studies |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2021/07/06/2003760362 |access-date=2022-07-12 |website=[[Taipei Times]]}}</ref>''[[Bulletin of the School of Oriental & African Studies]], [[Journal of African Law]],''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Journal of African Law |url=https://www.soas.ac.uk/research/publications/soas-journals-and-books/journal-african-law |access-date=2023-01-11 |website=SOAS |language=en}}</ref> ''[[South East Asia Research]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=South East Asia Research |url=https://www.soas.ac.uk/research/publications/soas-journals-and-books/south-east-asia-research |access-date=2023-01-11 |website=SOAS |language=en}}</ref> and ''[[SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research]].''