Lancaster University rated third in north west in latest national rankings
Lancaster University has been placed third in the north west in the latest Times and Sunday Times rankings.
The university was also ranked 26th in the UK in The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2027.
It comes behind the Universities of Liverpool (1st) and Manchester (2nd) in the north west, while the University of Cumbria, which has a campus in Lancaster, is 11th in the North West and 115th nationally.
The University of St Andrews is the number one university in the UK in the main rankings.
For the second time in the guide's 33-year history both the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford have dropped out of the top three, ranking fourth and fifth respectively.
Helen Davies, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “Intellectual vigour, innovation, inspiration and ambition are alive and well on university campuses across the UK.
"As I edit this guide, I never fail to be energised by the optimism, scholarship and cutting edge discoveries that burnish our leading higher education institutions.
“What shines through more than ever this year is an emphasis on preparing students for future careers. Universities have tailored their campuses to suit hands-on learning with mock court rooms, simulations of clinical settings – some even serve the public – and trading floors.
“But, for this next generation of students and the higher education sector at large, this is a challenging time with institutions struggling with their own finances, and the toughest graduate jobs market in more than a decade. There are hard questions to ask: can I afford it? What will I get from a degree? Is it worth it?
“This is where our guide comes in. We are here to help, whether it is about deciding what subject to study, where to go, or how student loans really work.”
The full rankings are available online at www.thetimes.com/gooduniversityguide