University sees drop in table of rankings

Staffordshire University has fallen nine places in the latest university rankings.

The university, with campuses in both Stafford and Stoke, has been ranked 108th out of 116. Last year it was in 99th place in the Complete University Guide.

First in the rankings for 2013 was Cambridge while The London School of Economics and Political Science was second with Oxford University ranked third.

Birmingham University came in at joint 23rd with Newcastle. Last year it was 22nd.

Aston University was ranked joint 34th with Leeds, after a ranking last year of 25th. Birmingham City was 63rd compared to 67th last year.

Keele University in Staffordshire was in 46th place, having been in 44th last year.

In 2010 Wolverhampton University declared it would no longer be included in any league table published in newspapers, saying they disadvantaged universities.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, said: "It's good that there is a growing amount of information about university courses to help inform potential students.

However, league tables and guides cannot tell the whole story about universities and courses and positions will vary from one table to the next, based often on small statistical margins.

"Applicants, and those advising them, will want to consider a fuller range of information before they make their final choices."

Staffordshire University was unavailable for comment.