Universities see rankings drop in latest guide
SIX of eight Welsh universities have fallen in the latest rankings from The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide.
Cardiff University kept its status as the top university in Wales and ranked 25th in the UK.
The only Welsh university in the prestigious Russell Group, Cardiff remains in the top 20 for graduate prospects and demand for places has risen by 15%.
Aberystwyth University, which ranked second in Wales, dropped three places to 41st in the UK list. But the university remains third overall for student satisfaction with teaching.
Swansea University’s UK ranking dropped three places to 41.
The University of Wales Trinity St David, which has sites in Swansea, Carmarthen and other locations, dropped more than 20 places in the UK rankings.
The guide includes profiles on 135 UK universities.
Here is the verdict on each Welsh university in the guide, in order of highest to lowest ranked...
Cardiff University
■ Wales rank: 1
■ UK rank: 25 (up from 35 last year)
■ Student survey on teaching excellence: 73%
■ Student survey on student satisfaction: 70.1%
■ Percentage of graduates in highskilled jobs or graduate-level study: 84.3%
■ Completion rate: 92.8%
Aberystwyth University
■ Wales rank: 2
■ UK rank: 41 (down from 38 last year)
■ Student survey on teaching excellence: 83.7%
■ Student survey on student satisfaction: 80.5%
■ Percentage of graduates in highskilled jobs or graduate-level study: 66%
■ Completion rate: 85.2%
Swansea University
■ Wales rank: 3
■ UK rank: 42 (down from 39 last year)
■ Student survey on teaching excellence: 74%
■ Student survey on student satisfaction: 70.4%
■ Percentage of graduates in highskilled jobs or graduate-level study: 78.1%
■ Completion rate: 89.9%
Bangor University
■ Wales rank: 4
■ UK rank: 45 (up from 64 last year)
■ Student survey on teaching excellence: 78.5%
■ Student survey on student satisfaction: 74.5%
■ Percentage of graduates in highskilled jobs or graduate-level study: 71%
■ Completion rate: 82.3%
Cardiff Metropolitan University ■ Wales rank: 5
■ UK rank: 93 (down from 79 last year)
■ Student survey on teaching excellence: 72.3%
■ Student survey on student satisfaction: 69.2%
■ Percentage of graduates in highskilled jobs or graduate-level study: 71.6%
■ Completion rate: 80%
University of South Wales
■ Wales rank: 6
■ UK rank: 103 (down from 99 last year)
■ Student survey on teaching excellence: 75.8%
■ Student survey on student satisfaction: 69.6%
■ Percentage of graduates in highskilled jobs or graduate-level study: 66.5%
■ Completion rate: 81.7%
University of Wales Trinity St David
■ Wales rank: 7
■ UK rank: 104 (down from 83 last year)
■ Student survey on teaching excellence: 77.8%
■ Student survey on student satisfaction: 71.6%
■ Percentage of graduates in highskilled jobs or graduate-level study: 62.6%
■ Completion rate: 77.7%
Wrexham Glyndwr University
■ Wales rank: 8
■ UK rank: 120 (down from 110 last year)
■ Student survey on teaching excellence: 81.6%
■ Student survey on student satisfaction: 74.6%
■ Percentage of graduates in highskilled jobs or graduate-level study: 69%
■ Completion rate: 74%
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023 will be published on September 18 in The Sunday Times, based on data published in the past two months.