University of York is best in the north of England

Taking facility spends, employment prospects and student satisfaction among other aspects into account, the university has beaten Sheffield and Leeds to be plaed the best in the north and risen two places to become 11th in the UK overall.

Meanwhile, York St John University has been rated fifth in the north of England and 64th in the guide for the UK.

A spokesman for the guide said: “York is a genuinely world-class university that is hovering on the fringes of our top ten once more this year. The university has done well in all years of the National Student Survey, both in its own right and at the medical school, which is assessed separately. Entrance requirements are high and the dropout rate of less than 5 per cent is among the lowest in the country.

“Undergraduates can also take the York Award, comprising a range of courses, work placements and voluntary activities which aim to prepare students for the world of work. Over 600 students work as volunteer teaching assistants in local schools. The development of alumni professional networks in banking, law, and finance; creative industries, science and technology and third sector/government enable students to connect with senior alumni and gain access to mentoring, career advice and internships.”

The league table is drawn up from criteria including student satisfaction, research quality, graduate prospects, entrance qualifications held by new students, degree results achieved, student/staff ratios, service and facilities spend, and university dropout rates.

After York, the University of Sheffield is in second place in the north, the University of Leeds is third place, the University of Hull fourth place, York St John University fifth, the University of Huddersfield sixth, Sheffield Hallam seventh, the University of Bardford eighth, Leeds Metropolitan University ninth and Leeds Trinity University tenth.

A spokesman for the University of York said: “This confirmation that York is firmly in the top rank of UK universities is a clear endorsement of both of our academic quality and the rewarding student experience we provide. It is testament to the dedication and hard work of our staff. The Times and Sunday Times assessment of York as ‘a genuinely world-class university’ is a recognition of the huge strides we have made in our first 50 years .”

Full details of the league table will be included in the Sunday Times this weekend.

The Top 10 universities

The top universities in the north are:
1 University of York
2 University of Sheffield
3 University of Leeds
4 University of Hull
5 York St John University
6 University of Huddersfield
7 Sheffield Hallam University
8 University of Bradford
9 Leeds Metropolitan University
10 Leeds Trinity University