Oxbridge is being replaced at the apex of UK universities by ‘Stoxbridge’ after St Andrews pipped Oxford and Cambridge to the top of the latest Guardian University Guide.
It is the first time a Fife university has taken the top spot in the Guardian’s annual guide to undergraduate courses, pushing Oxford into second place and Cambridge into third.
Detailed analysis of the rankings, which includes data on student satisfaction and achievement, graduate outcomes and student-staff ratios, shows that all three universities are in a league of their own, with only differences fractions that separate first and third place, but much larger. difference with its rivals, such as the Imperial College of London.
Dame Sally Mapstone, Vice-Chancellor and Head of St Andrews, said: “I hope the fantastic students at St Andrews and all my hard-working colleagues feel the recognition of this significant achievement. They thoroughly deserve it.
“The amalgamation of our strengths in the key areas measured by the Guardian has put us well ahead of some of the best universities in the world. For a small Scottish university to repeatedly shake up the established order is a great tribute to all who work and study here.”
St Andrews is the third oldest university in the UK, with its foundation in 1413 predating only Oxford and Cambridge, whose first royal charters were granted in the 13th century.
The Stoxbridge trio also dominate the individual rankings for undergraduate subjects in the Guardian guide, with Oxford, Cambridge and St Andrews coming out on top in 30 out of 36 subject areas. Cambridge leads the way in 15 subjects, but St Andrews comes top in a number of core subjects including history, economics, chemistry and English.
Matt Hiely-Rayner, who compiled the guide, said there was little to separate the three members of Stoxbridge, with the narrowest gap between first and third place in the history of the guide.
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“What is clearer is the extent to which these three are removed from the rest of the sector. But there is not much difference between them, they are so close that small judgments would make a difference in the order,” he said.
In St Andrews’ favor this year are slightly higher entry grades among incoming university students, as well as high levels of student satisfaction with teaching and the high proportion going on to graduate work or further study .
“St Andrews offers slightly different subjects to Oxford and Cambridge and therefore performs slightly better,” Hiely-Rayner said.
Outside Stoxbridge, there were improved performances from Imperial, which was named the Guardian’s university of the year after rising to fifth place. It has the highest levels of student satisfaction with teaching in England, as well as strong performances in engineering subjects, including first place in the new aerospace engineering category.
Imperial also excels at helping students establish their careers. In recent years, more than 94% have found graduate positions within 15 months of obtaining their degree.
The rankings recognize the big improvements in universities across the sector, with several able to celebrate the improvement in their positions. The University of West London is ranked 23rd overall, continuing its rise from 96th in the 2017 guide, thanks to outstanding performance in student satisfaction surveys. The University of Sunderland has jumped from 92nd to 50th place overall.
A record number of school leavers are starting degree courses at UK universities this autumn. Unrelenting demand for higher education and the mini baby boom that began in the mid-2000s is causing increased competition for places across the sector.