Dundee is best '˜young' UK university on global list

Dundee University has scooped first place among UK universities on a list of the world's top 'young' universities.

The University of Dundee. PICTURE: Jane Barlow

The UK has a total of 27 universities on the latest league table of the best 200 universities globally which are under 50 years old.

Dundee University, founded in 1967, and whose almuni include George Robertson, former Labour defence secretary and 10th Secretary General of Nato and award-winning novelist Kate Atkinson, ranked 16th on the Times Higher Education (THE) list while another Scottish institution, the University of Stirling was in 46th place.

The only other two UK institutions making it to the top 100 were Plymouth in 65th place and Portsmouth at joint 98th.

Among the UK institutions ranked 101-150 were Glasgow Caledonian, Bournemouth, De Montfort, Hertfordshire, Liverpool John Moores, Middlesex, Northumbria, the Open University, Oxford Brookes and Ulster.

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Those making the 151-200 list were the University of the West of Scotland, Bedfordshire, Coventry, East London, Huddersfield, Kingston, London Metropolitan, Manchester Metropolitan, Nottingham Trent, Roehampton, Salford, University of the West of England, and Westminster.

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Professor Sir Pete Downes, principal and vice-chancellor of Dundee University, attributed the ranking to the university’s research and teaching.

“Over the past five decades, new universities have changed the higher education dynamic around the world, developing innovative and progressive methods of challenging more established institutions.

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“To be ranked 16th globally among such universities, and top in the UK, is a great testament to the impact that our research and teaching has around the world, while the experience we offer students has been consistently rated among the best to be found anywhere.”

Rankings editor Phil Baty said: “A key strength for the UK in this ranking is that it has representatives founded in every decade between the 1960s and 2000s, suggesting that the country has a promising future in the Under 50 list in the years to come.

“Young universities will need to continue to adapt to deal with an ever tougher higher education climate within the country and across the world.”