The Faculty of Music of the University of Oxford is one of the largest and liveliest music departments in the country, and an internationally renowned centre of musical teaching and research. The Faculty came top of the ‘research power’ rankings in the most recent (2008) Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), with 50% of its research rated as ‘world-leading’ and the largest number of research active staff submitted by any Higher Education Institution in the UK. It gained the highest (5*) rating in the two previous RAEs of 1996 and 2001, and was ranked best UK music department by both 'The Times' and 'The Independent' in their most recent surveys.
The Faculty is not normally open to the public, but the Bate Collection is open Monday to Friday 2pm to 5pm.