St Andrews gains global ranking.

St Andrews has continued its rise in status with the publication of a new international league table that places the ancient Scottish university at 88th in the world.

The QS World University Rankings for 2014/15 ranks St Andrews above the likes of the University of Western Australia, Durham University and the University of Leeds. It is the 8th year running that St Andrews has made the top 100.

The University was rated particularly highly for its Arts and Natural Sciences Departments, alongside its ability to attract international staff and students to such a small university.

The QS league tables examine a number of factors, including academic reputation, research, international influence and its reputation among graduate employers.

The latest table has rated St Andrews’ research output as very high due to its research being cited more than 59, 000 times by other universities in the last 5 years.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the university is ranked 16th in the world for its ability to attract the brightest and most ambitious international students.

Principle Professor Louise Richardson said, that “It is gratifying that our core strengths in research and teaching as well as our appeal to international students have been recognized by this important ranking”.

In an email sent around students and staff following the result of the Independence Referendum, Louise Richardson stated that The Times has now ranked St Andrews as 3rd in the UK in the Good University Guide 2015, and also that St Andrews will be named Scottish University of the Year for the second year running.

A recent independent study into the economic impact of the University of St Andrews revealed that its international reputation helps generate over £484 million per year for the Scottish economy and provides 9,000 jobs.

Image courtesy of theguardian.com