Lancaster University takes the crown as the Complete University Guide’s best university in North West England.

Within the region, Lancaster University came top for Research Intensity and Completion, whilst in the overall league tables, Lancaster held its position in 11th place for another year.

Among Lancashire’s other universities, Edge Hill placed 5th in the North West and 64th overall, whilst the University of Central Lancashire placed at number 99 nationally.

Completed the top 5 list for the North West was the University of Manchester, the University of Liverpool and University of Chester, with the former two and Lancaster making the top 50 nationally.

Professor Amanda Chetwynd, Chair of the Complete University Guide Advisory Board, said: “Congratulations to Lancaster University for achieving the top position in this year’s Complete University Guide regional rankings. The tight rankings show just how high the standards are among the North West of England’s top universities.

“Many prospective students in the North West are keen to find the best university in the local area. Complete University Guide’s regional league tables are a valuable source of information to give local prospective students a greater understanding of what higher education options there are in the North West.”

The North West has had a successful year in the Complete University Guide’s rankings with notable universities climbing the ranking from previous years, including the University of Liverpool which rose by nine and the University of Chester which rose by 12.

Within the region there are also some examples of high-quality national subject rankings, reinforcing the importance of looking below the overall rankings.

For example, Edge Hill University (joint 64th) ranks 2nd for Tourism, Transport, Travel & Heritage Studies, and Liverpool Hope University (90th) ranks 2nd for Health Studies.

Every year the Complete University Guide releases UK university and subject league tables to support prospective students in making informed decisions about their future, whilst the regional tables help local employers know what skills people are coming to the area to develop.

Simon Emmett, Chief Executive Officer of IDP Connect, added: “The independence of the Complete University Guide remains a critical part of our organisation. The tables’ independence from our other operations ensures that students, parents, and advisors can trust the results and make informed choices based on them.”