Aberdeen University has been ranked the fifth top university in Scotland in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide.
After a year like no other, the university was ranked fifth in the country based on student experience and teaching quality.
According to the league table, which was released on Friday, Aberdeen University received a score of 76% in this year’s student experience survey.
It also ranked highly for completion rate, with 88.5% of students seeing their courses through to the end.
This year’s rankings saw student satisfaction drop across the country as a whole, as universities struggled to adapt to online learning.
In the UK wide university rankings, Aberdeen University made it to 20th spot, which is a large improvement on last year’s 27th place.
University of Aberdeen senior vice-principal, Karl Leydecker, said: “This is the first time that the University has been ranked in the top 20 in the UK in both the Times and Sunday Times and the Guardian at the same time, cementing our position as a top 20 UK university.
“Such consistent success in these competitive rankings is a fantastic achievement and is testament to the hard work of colleagues and students right across the University during what has been a challenging year.
“Our staff and student community should be proud of what we have achieved in very trying circumstances. I am particularly pleased that as well as improving in the overall rankings, our performance in the subject rankings is improving every year, with more subjects ranked in the top 10 than ever.”
RGU
Despite being named Scottish University of the Year in 2020, Robert Gordon University (RGU) only made it to 11th place in the table.
Of the 135 universities involved in the rankings across the UK, RGU was in 62nd place.
This is also an improvement on last year’s 66th.
The university was ranked highly for teaching quality, with 79.7% on the national student survey.
A spokesman from RGU said: “Following last year’s Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021, when RGU was named Scottish University of the Year, we are delighted to have risen a further four places in the overall UK rankings.
“RGU’s ranking of 2nd in Scotland and 11th in the UK for teaching quality reflects our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of learning for our students throughout the challenging circumstances of the past 18 months.
“Our rise in ranking over the last three editions of the Good University Guide is testament to our consistent delivery of a high quality vocational education and relevant curriculum, which provides students with the skills they require to thrive, and enables them to become graduates who are highly sought after by employers.”
Victory for St Andrews
St Andrews University made history by beating Oxford and Cambridge to the top spot for the first time in the near 30-year history of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide.
The university was commended for how it adapted its teaching to the pandemic, academic research facilities and high levels of student satisfaction.
Top of the class – St Andrews makes history by topping definitive UK university ranking
The University of St Andrews has been ranked the top university in the United Kingdom in the @thetimes #GoodUniGuide 🎉https://t.co/cYV478HksM#evertoexcel pic.twitter.com/I9njMwbNxp
— University of St Andrews (@univofstandrews) September 17, 2021