The UK's three oldest universities claim the top three positions in the Guardian university league table today, with Oxford and Cambridge universities achieving the topmost positions. A key ingredient in their success was the very high satisfaction ratings from their students.
All the institutions in the top 20 are strong in research - as we can see from the , where readers can compare research and teaching ratings for each subject - but that is not why they are top of the table. We judge them purely on their teaching. They would argue that their teaching is enriched by their research.
Two Scottish universities, Heriot-Watt and Robert Gordon, have jumped tremendously up by the ratings to 22 and 36 respectively, while as far south of the border as you get, Bournemouth is the new favourite university at 32 (37 last year). In Wales, the revival of Lampeter on the eve of its merger with Trinity University College Carmarthen is notable.
Among the specialist institutions that are often overlooked in some tables, the music conservatoires once again dominate this league.
Courtesy Guardian.co.uk
