In the annual Good University Guide ranking by The Times and The Sunday Times, Oxford and Cambridge failed to make it into the top three for the first time in 32 years. The London School of Economics (LSE) held onto first place for the second consecutive year, the University of St Andrews remained in second, and Durham University rose from fifth to third place. This was reported in a material by The Times, writes UNN.
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Cambridge retained its fourth position, while Oxford, which was third last year, shared fourth place this time. Despite this, both universities maintained leading positions in a number of specialized areas: Cambridge topped 14 subject tables – the most among all institutions, and Oxford was named "medical university of the year."
Durham University, which significantly improved its performance, received several accolades. It was named "University of the Year 2026" and ranked second in the country for graduate employment, trailing only Imperial College London.
In a highly competitive top ten, Durham has moved up two places in a year, which is a significant achievement.
She also highlighted that the university stands out for its teaching quality, academic results, and positive student experience.
Its excellent academic performance this year has been enhanced by improvements in teaching quality and student experience. Durham also won the 'University of the Year' award in the North and North East and ranked second among universities of the year for graduate prospects.
According to her, British higher education institutions are currently trying to meet modern challenges by opening new specialties in electronics, robotics, artificial intelligence, and public policy.
As a diverse global community, we are making progress in attracting more students from underrepresented groups, including from our city and region
The ranking also recognized other universities: Manchester Metropolitan was named "Modern University of the Year," Reading University received an award for scholarships and grants, and Imperial College London was recognized as the best for graduate employment.