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WALES AND THE GOOD UNIVERSITY GUIDE

Given the speech by the Welsh Education Minister earlier this week, it may be worth examining the latest league tables from the Times Good University Guide.

The Times Good University Guide is the most authoritative and widely respected guide to universities in the UK and is an essential and comprehensive tool for students and parents at home and abroad.

It ranks 113 UK universities according to eight criteria, including student satisfaction, research quality and degree results.

So what are the results for Wales?

Cardiff 34 (-8)
Aberystwyth 40 (+6)
Swansea 49 (+1)
Bangor 54 (+1)
UWIC 67 (+9)
Lampeter 85 (-6)
Glyndŵr 93 (+4)
Glamorgan 94 (0)
UWCN, Newport 96 (+11)

As the ranking above, Cardiff remains the best university in Wales, although it continues to lose ground on its rivals within the elite Russell Group, dropping a further eight places to 34th.

It is followed by Aberystwyth, whose ranking has increased to 40th. Bangor and Swansea have moved up one place.

The major winners in this year's league table seem to be mainly the new universities within Wales, with UWIC climbing nine places, Glyndwr four places, and the University of Wales Newport eleven places.

The only exception to this group is Glamorgan, which has stayed still since last year and slipped behind Glyndwr in the rankings.

I would expect the Minister will be looking very closely at this data over the next few weeks as he reflects on the financial support that Government will give to the university sector over the next few years.

Certainly, the improvements in the new institution sector should make him pause for thought at the potential this part of the higher education sector can offer the Welsh economy.

Comments

Mr Logical said…
the THE table is an interesting look at things but our lot are only going to get worse with the criteria used, this as investment in the infrastructure and staff/student ratio are critical scorers - WAG has already stated it wants the ratio shifted and that infrastructure investment will be null.

However and after typing that, it's the same for all of the uk the next two-three years so expect a dramatic slump in world table. The metrics used in this uk table are now questionable imho.

It really wont be pretty and those Universities sitting in the bottom 25% will need a long hard look at and this includes far too many Welsh institutions.

The 'new' Welsh Universities are not performing as they should but nor are all of the others. But, surely being ranked in the 90s out of 130 is not good at all. We've too many in that category.

Dylan, is there a similar measure for FE in Wales? I would like to see how success is measured there as money into FE 'schemes' has been pumped in (sign up onto all sorts of extra courses for extra income..) yet am still not convinced. FE is very good at vocational education and should keep away from HE provision (stick to what you are good at and know) and HE needs to look again at higher level vocational qualifications as the current view cannot continue.

Mini rant over..
June 06, 2010 11:22 pm
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans said…
Your probably tight about league tables but as it is the only comparison we have (and the Times is allegedly the best), it is worth examining how Welsh universities compare to the rest of the UK. If you have time, look at the more detailed individual variables - that is where you see the real differences.

As for FE, I don't think there is a national table although there are quality awards for FE in which welsh institutions such as Llandrillo do well.
June 07, 2010 6:46 pm
Anonymous said…
I guess its also worth looking at the other guides that have just come out too Dylan. In the Independent: http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=8726 and in the Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/table/2010/jun/04/university-league-table
June 10, 2010 9:30 am
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