Universities’ excellence adverts challenged

 Several universities are under investigation for using advertisements to mislead students about their academic standards, it has emerged.

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) is launching a crackdown on deceptive claims by higher education institutions.

Next week the ASA is expected to identify several which have breached the advertising code. Two universities have already agreed to clarify their marketing material.

The University of Bedfordshire claimed to have “gold standard” teaching – when it held a silver award in the new teaching excellence ratings.

Liverpool John Moores University was challenged about its claim to be “university of the year”, after it emerged that it won the title in this year’s “Educate North Awards”.