Guardian table places Oxford top
Oxford University has retained its place at the top of The Guardian’s annual league table of UK institutions. For the second year running Oxford beat off competition from Cambridge, University College London and Bristol. The Guardian ranking system assesses universities through a combination of teaching quality, staff-student ratios and graduate job prospects. Oxford also dominated the most recent Times Good University Guide.
However, Cambridge came top in 25 of the individual subject tables compared with Oxford’s 10. Oxford’s success was due to the high amount spent on university facilities. Oxford University Vice Chancellor John Hood said, “It is good news that Oxford has once again been recognised by The Guardian’s university guide as the top higher education institution in the UK.
”Our students, whether from the UK or some 130 countries worldwide, continue to demonstrate exceptional intellectual ability and to seize the other opportunities Oxford offers in sport, the arts, through societies and other associations.” A spokeswoman from Cambridge University declined to comment on either newspapers’ findings. The ranking of universities using financial criteria has provoked a mixed response from academic institutions.
A spokesman from University College London explained, “While it’s pleasing for UCL to be appearing in such a group, there is a degree of scepticism among staff regarding their value in determining the true merit of universities.”
4th May 2006