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UK universities that stand out for the right reasons – rankings
25 Apr 2018
The winners of The Guardian University Awards 2018 were announced this week, showcasing the very best of what the UK has to offer in terms of equality, employability, curriculum design and much more.
The awards are given out on an annual basis to recognise the most innovative universities in the UK in ways typical rankings just don’t showcase.
So, no matter what attracts you to a university, you’re likely to find it below. Here are the universities topping the UK charts in a range of criteria. Here are the results in full:
| Category | Winner | Runner(s)-up |
| Advancing staff equality | University of Strathclyde | Glasgow Caledonian University
University of Sheffield |
| Buildings that inspire | University of Hull | Newcastle University
Norwich University of the Arts |
| Business collaboration | Heriot-Watt University | University of Kent
University of Lincoln |
| Course and curriculum design | University of Huddersfield | University of Salford
University of the West of Scotland |
| Digital innovation | Open University | Imperial College London
University of Greenwich |
| Employability and entrepreneurship | Falmouth University | Sheffield Business School
The Royal Agricultural University |
| Internationalisation | University of Central Lancashire | Birmingham City University
The University of Nottingham |
| Marketing and comms campaign | London School of Economics and Political Science | De Montfort University Leicester
Loughborough University |
| Research impact | University of Exeter | Heriot-Watt University
University of Glasgow |
| Retention, support and student outcomes | University of Strathclyde | Solent University
York St John University |
| Social and community impact
|
Swansea University | De Montfort University Leicester
University of Manchester University of Sheffield |
| Student experience | University of Surrey | University of Stirling
York St John University |
| Sustainability project | University of Plymouth | University of Manchester |
| Teaching excellence
|
Open University | Coventry University
University of Surrey |
| Widening access and outreach
|
Birkbeck, University of London | Nottingham Trent University
University of Sunderland |
| Inspiring leader award | Mary Stuart, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lincoln |
The Guardian added new categories this year, including ‘widening access and outreach’ and ‘course and curriculum design’, in order to keep up with the rapidly-evolving world of higher education.
The social and community impact category received the most submissions this year and was won by Swansea which helped out local National Health Services (NHS) by running an open clinic maintained by students and staff.
The employability and entrepreneurship categories were merged together this year to test how universities marry the two – educating and encouraging students to find suitable employment or to create it for themselves. Falmouth University came in first place with a photography agency set up by students which allows students to gain valuable experience working with real clients, including Sony.
You can read the full details of the universities’ projects in The Guardian’s ideas bank.
Are there any other factors you think should be considered when picking a university? Let us know at editor@hybrid.co or tweet us at @Study_INTNL
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