but are no longer used. They were: Metallurgy—steel grey; Education—pearl; Architecture—old gold; Law—olive green. The old colour of the Faculty of Social Sciences was pale green.
==== University mace ====
The university mace is an ornament of governance of the University of Sheffield. It is silver-gilt and carries the coats of arms of both the university and the city of Sheffield, and the White Rose of York. A figure of Minerva holding a wreath and palm branch on a heraldic crown adorns the top of the mace. Used for the first time in 1909, the mace is carried in academic procession as the symbol of authority, which precedes the presiding officer.
== Academics ==
=== Reputation and rankings ===
The university has been described by The Times as one of the powerhouses of British higher education. The university is a member of the Russell Group, the European University Association, the Worldwide Universities Network and the White Rose University Consortium. It was ranked 12th in the UK, 35th in Europe and 98th in the world by Times Higher Education WUR 2025. Sheffield has been voted University of the Year, Best Students' Union and Best for Student Life at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024, and named runner-up for University of the Year 2025 by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025. It has also come to the top position in the Russell Group based on 2024 National Student Survey (NSS).
Sheffield has received the Queen's Anniversary Prize five times in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2007 and 2019. In 2011 it was named 'University of the Year' in the Times Higher Education awards. The latest Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2014 ranked the University of Sheffield 1st for student experience, social life, university facilities and accommodation, among other categories. It was also named as one of the top 50 most international universities in 2018 around the world and its reputation of outstanding teaching has been underlined in the most recent league table which put Sheffield joint 9th in the …
