UEA IS Wonderful: University reaches its highest-ever ranking

UEA has come an impressive 14th in the Times and Sunday Times ‘Good University Guide 2015’ – its highest ever position in the well-respected league table.

A slight improvement on last year’s ranking of 17th, UEA is now placed ahead of such prestigious universities as Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and King’s College London overall, and well ahead of the University of Essex, which limps in at a dismal 32nd.

Look at this cheerful place.

The Guide ranks universities on factors such as research quality, entry standards, the number of firsts and 2:1s achieved by students at that university, and students’ graduate employment prospects.

UEA scored within the top 50 in all measures, including 15th on student:staff ratio and 16th in spending on student services and facilities.

We also rank an impressive 5th in student satisfaction – so you can feel pretty smug about that.

UEA came ahead of prestigious red bricks

But as the university drops an ominous two places down to 3rd in the Times Higher Educational Supplement’s ‘Student Experience Survey’, it looks as though last year’s cheerful banners proclaiming UEA ‘THE 1ST for Student Experience’ around campus will have to be put away for another year.

Predictably, Prof David Richardson agreed with the Times’ positive assessment, saying “It is extremely pleasing to see the hard work of staff and students recognised with this tremendous result.

According to third year Maths student Alex Richardson, however, it’s no surprise as to why the university’s sudden drop in student satisfaction might be. “They kicked out the burger van unfairly, the new smoking zone is a cage, and the Union has repeatedly made decisions that a vast majority of people didn’t agree with.

“Also, the rabbits run too fast for you to catch them and get your free pint. 0/10. Would not chase again.”