And Coventry University has been named the modern university of the year nationally for the third time in a row.
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The university was also rated as the top university in Scotland for the sixth successive year in the Times Higher Education magazine’s student experience survey, with its central facilities voted the best in the UK.
Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) makes its first appearance in the league table, following the relaxation of restrictions of specialist institutions that had previously excluded it from inclusion. Its previous best was fifth place in 2009.
The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2016 said the university had earned its place thanks in part to its reputation having been enhanced in the a year ago through strong results in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) in the most recent National Student Survey which placed the university top in the United Kingdom for biological sciences, and the opening of the £50m Discovery centre to encourage interaction between disciplines.
Aberystwyth, too, has good cause for celebration, making Wales’ biggest rise of 14 places – from 93rd in 2015 to joint 79th in the latest table.
The university is now ranked 33rd in the United Kingdom and is the sole representative from Wales in the top 200 world rankings.
“The dropout rate is among the lowest in Britain, at little more than three per cent”.
Alistair McCall, editor the guide, said Dundee University was “the epitome of what a good university should be”. “This outstanding series of results and rankings is a tribute to the dedication of staff right across the University”.
Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter, said: “This is an outstanding achievement, which recognises the tremendous talent and effort of a wide range of staff and students on the sports field, in the lecture theatre and in the laboratory”.
Sam Skinner, 20, is a second year student in business and economics and plays rugby for the university and for Exeter Chiefs.
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Past year Coventry achieved the highest position ever in the guide’s league table by a post-1992 university, and remains ahead of its peer group as well as several older foundations.
