Durham Uni tops the charts in the North East

The Times and Sunday Times have revealed their University Guide.

A view across Framwellgate Bridge and the Castle (University College) in the background at Durham,England,UK
Author: Micky WelchPublished 20th Sep 2024
Last updated 20th Sep 2024

Durham University is the number one university in the North and Northeast, and was shortlisted for University of the Year 2025. The collegiate university has risen two places in the competitive league table, and its entry requirements are high: ABB to A A A*. It is also a runner-up for University of the Year for Graduate Employment, according to The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025. It is also fourth behind LSE, Oxford and Cambridge in the ranking of elite Russell Group universities beating Imperial College.

A six-place rise in the league table, matched by a similar rise in the our analysis of research quality index, has helped Northumbria University take the title of Modern University of the Year 2025. It has an award of more than £9 million to create the UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) AI Centre for Doctoral Training in CitizenCentred Artificial Intelligence.

Helen Davies, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said:

“The best universities — whether they were founded in the 15th century or 2005 — are local and global powerhouses of intellectual thought and creativity, from the arts to science, that can power economic regeneration and lead the way to a better life. But what and where to study — and how to pay for it — has never been tougher. This is where our comprehensive guide can help.

“This year we have tweaked our methodology to keep up with contemporary concerns around climate change and careers and have added in a sustainability metric, teaming up with People & Planet, and boosted the weighting of graduate prospects.

“The higher education sector is facing unprecedented challenges from debates on free speech to financial stability, but it is important to remember the force for good that going to university can be. See how the universities compare subject by subject, a guide on campus life, and what scholarships and bursaries may be on offer online.”

NORTH AND NORTHEAST RANKINGS 2025

NE rank/Natioanl rank/Uni name

1 5 Durham University

2 14 University of Sheffield

3 17= University of York

4 29 University of Leeds

5 30= Newcastle University

6 43 Northumbria University

7 60 University of Hull

8 78= University of Huddersfield

9 84= Sheffield Hallam University

10 88 Leeds Beckett University

11 92 Leeds Arts University

12 93 York St John University

13 104 Teesside University

14 105= University of Sunderland

15 111 University of Bradford

16 112 Leeds Trinity University

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