As part of The Times and The Sunday Times official Good University Guide for 2023, a list of the top universities in the South West has been released - and both UWE and Bristol University have made the top five. In fact, UWE has moved up 10 places, while the University of Bristol has dropped just one place since the previous list.
The definitive guide to the country's universities ranks them based on various factors, including graduate employment and teaching quality. The new edition of the free full 96-page supplement will be published this weekend in The Sunday Times (September 18) and will include the definitive rankings for UK universities and the most comprehensive overview of higher education in Britain.
What's more, it includes profiles on 135 universities. Though, what we in the South West really want to know is who came top of our table?
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The answer to that question is the University of Bath who has earned the title of University of the Year, while ranking as the top university in the South West and eighth in the overall rankings, according to the official guide. The university ranks fourth for undergraduate university experience and fifth for graduate prospects, with more than than 90 per cent in highly skilled jobs or further study 15 months after leaving.
Bath’s course completion rate (96.2 per cent) is the sixth-best in the country. Meanwhile, popularity has sparked growth at Exeter, making it runner-up for the University of the Year award.
Exeter has risen 35 places to reach the top 25 in the national rankings for undergraduate experience, and up 28 places teaching quality. Graduate prospects are in the top 20 in a survey of those in skilled jobs or further study 15 months after graduation.
The University of Bristol sits in third place in the South West and 15th in the national rankings. Last year it came in 14th overall, meaning it has dropped a place this time round.
And the University of the West of England sits in fifth place in the South West, coming it at number 61 in the overall rankings and moving up 10 places from last year's national rank.
Another local university is celebrating this year, too. Hartpury University, which was founded in 1948 as an agricultural institute, this year celebrates coming first in the South West for its quality of teaching.
A year after gaining university status in 2018, before which it was a part of the University of West England, Hartpury was rated gold by the Teaching Excellence Framework. You can see the full list of the top universities in the South West, in the table below.
The top 13 universities in the South West are as follows:
- University of Bath
- University of Exeter
- University of Bristol
- Falmouth University
- University of the West of England
- University of Plymouth
- Arts University Bournemouth
- Bath Spa University
- Plymouth Marjon University
- Bournemouth University
- Royal Agricultural University
- Hartpury University
- University of Gloucestershire
You can find more on the national list here.
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