Lancashire universities celebrate Good University Guide recognition

Edge Hill University is Modern University of the Year and ranked 58th nationally, according to the guide.

Both Edge Hill University and Lancaster University are today celebrating their successes in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022, which was only released this morning.

Edge Hill University has been named Modern University of the Year by the prestigious guide, whilst also being shortlisted for the University of the Year, and rising to its highest ever position in the rankings, going from 70th to 58th nationally.

Meanwhile, nearby Lancaster University is once again the highest-ranked institution in the Northwest, placing 11th.

John Cater has been Edge Hill's Vice Chancellor for over 30 years, overseeing its expansion.

Alastair McCall, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “Ranked in its highest position yet in our academic league table, Edge Hill is one of the shining stars of the modern university sector. Led for nearly 30 years by John Cater, Edge Hill has established a profile nationally as a go-ahead institution with ambition for its students.

“A new medical school is the latest addition to a university estate and a course offering that is expanding all the time. Big gains in this pandemic-influenced year in our rankings for student satisfaction with teaching quality and their wider university experience demonstrate a university responsive to its students’ needs and one capable of matching their expectations.

“After 18 months of turmoil across all walks of life, our University of the Year awards this year highlight exceptional achievement in adverse circumstances. For its ability to deliver in this regard, as well as long-standing achievement more widely, Edge Hill is also one of just five to make the shortlist for the overall UK University of the Year, in addition to its win as Modern University of the Year.”

Vice-Chancellor of Edge Hill, Dr John Cater said: “It has been an exceptional year for Edge Hill in the face of such unprecedented challenges. We are very proud to add to our list of accolades Modern University of the Year in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.

“Edge Hill prides itself on delivering a first-class student experience, which has always been at the heart of our ethos. In such a challenging year for the education sector, we have remained committed to placing our students at the centre of our decisions and creating opportunities for students from all sectors of society. We believe this focus benefits everyone, from the students themselves, to the employers who recruit them and the people whose lives are improved with our talented alumni.

“Our continued investment has created a strong and vibrant institution that supports the needs of students, staff, local communities, businesses and the economy.”

The regions’ other higher education institutions, the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), and the University of Cumbria, placed 108th and 125th respectively.

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022 provides the definitive rankings for UK universities and is the most comprehensive overview of higher education in Britain, including profiles on 135 universities, using the most up-to-date data available.

After a year of closed campuses and a move to online learning, the new edition of the Good University Guide reveals most universities have seen a dramatic drop in student satisfaction and teaching quality scores in the latest National Student Survey, with only two universities, Imperial College London and the University of Surrey, seeing an improvement in student satisfaction between 2020 and 2021.

A fully searchable website with 70 subject tables, full interactive tables and additional features can be found on The Times and The Sunday Times online, whilst a 96-page supplement will be published with The Sunday Times on 19th September.