The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
St Andrews University rises to an all-time high
Institution cements its position as Scotland’s highest ranked
St Andrews University has risen to an alltime high of third in a prestigious league table published today.
The results of The Complete UniversityGuide.co.uk’s 2018 rankings means that the Fife institution lies below only Cambridge and Oxford in the list, up from fifth in last year’s table, and cements its position as Scotland’s highest-ranked university.
There was also good news for Dundee University, which climbed six places from 35th into 29th, while Abertay University remains unchanged in 86th.
Scotland’s second-highest ranked university, Edinburgh, fell four places to 23rd, exiting the top 20 in the process, while Glasgow dropped from 29th to 36th to be overtaken by both Heriot Watt in 28th and Dundee on 29.
West of Scotland recorded the biggest climb in Scotland, up 10 places to 100th, with Stirling, Aberdeen, Strathclyde, Robert Gordon, Glasgow Caledonian, Queen Margaret and Edinburgh Napier also making the top 100 from north of the border.
In separate listings covering 70 subjects, St Andrews also featured in the top 10 for 23 of the 25 subjects it teaches, occupying the top spot in two – namely business and management studies and Middle Eastern and African studies.
Dr Bernard Kingston, chairman of The CompleteUniversityGuide.co.uk, said: “It is 10 years since The Complete UniversityGuide.co.uk launched its online university league tables, and they have proved their accuracy, independence and robustness over the decade.
“This year there is a considerable degree of stability at the upper end of the league table, as in the past.
“This stability, while it may not attract the headlines, demonstrates that the rankings fulfil our principal objective – to provide credible and freely accessible information for individuals seeking a university place.
“The Government has said that applicants need access to robust, timely and objective information, based on criteria that is straightforward and easily understood.
“We believe that The Complete UniversityGuide.co.uk meets these criteria and more and we intend that this will remain the case for the next decade – and beyond.”
Edinburgh makes the top 10 for 20 of the 50 subjects it offers, topping the nursing category, while Strathclyde features in 34 subject tables, making the top 10 in 13 and finishing first in three – namely aural and oral sciences, medical technology, and social policy.