Newer universities beat elite for jobs

SOME newer universities are better at helping graduates find jobs than many so- called elite institutions, the latest global rankings reveal.

Higher education analysts QS ranked the world’s 500 top universities based on their success in ‘nurturing graduate employability’.

While many familiar names appear on the list, several younger institutions beat those in the elite Russell Group of research-intensive universities, prompting QS to say students should not just consider prestige when picking where to study.

Stanford University in the US is the world leader, while six British universities make it into the top 50, including Cambridge in sixth and Oxford in eighth.

Fourteen of the 24 Russell Group members feature in the top 100, with the non-Russell Group University of Surrey the next highest ranked British institution.

Surrey, which gained university status in 1966, beats other Russell Group members including the universities of Sheffield, Southampton, Newcastle, Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow, Queen’s Belfast, York and Queen Mary University of London.

The 18th placed UK institution in the QS Graduate Employability rankings is sports-focused Loughborough, which overtakes seven Russell Group members.

Loughborough was a technical institute until it became a university in 1966.

The universities of Bath, Aston and City, University of London, are all in the top 200 and also beat some Russell Group members.

Scores were calculated by analysing factors such as employer reputation, partnerships with employers and graduate employment rates.

Ben Sowter, research director at QS, said: ‘This ranking shows that institutional reputation cannot and should not be the only consideration a student makes when selecting a university.’

Sarah Stevens, of the Russell Group, said: ‘Employers value Russell Group graduates and are willing to pay a premium for them.’