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Imperial named University of the Year by Guardian University Guide

by Conrad Duncan

Students walking through Dangoor Plaza on Imperial's South Kensington campus.

°®ÎÛ´«Ã½ has been named The Guardian’s University of the Year.

The College, which has risen to fifth place in the newspaper’s overall rankings, was commended for .

More than 94% of students in recent years have found graduate-level positions within 15 months of earning their degrees – the highest level in the league table.

"Innovation and enterprise are really part of the DNA [of Imperial], they’re part of what attracts the students." Professor Hugh Brady President of °®ÎÛ´«Ã½

Speaking to The Guardian, Professor Hugh Brady, President of °®ÎÛ´«Ã½, said: “Innovation and enterprise are really part of the DNA, they’re part of what attracts the students.

“The atmosphere is different: impact, innovation, entrepreneurship just ooze out of the institution.”

Professor Brady also suggested that there was now a deeper appreciation in society of the value of science, engineering and medicine, adding: “You can really argue that Imperial has never been more important to the country.”

A graphic for the Guardian's University Guide 2023
Credit: The Guardian

In addition to its strong reputation for encouraging entrepreneurship, through facilities such as the and Hackspace, the College has been praised for its multi-disciplinary approach to research and teaching.

The accolade comes after Imperial was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in The Times’ Good University Guide 2023.

It also follows a string of successes for the College over the past 12 months:

  • In November, Imperial was awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in recognition of its pioneering work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • In May, results from the Research Excellence Framework (REF) showed that Imperial was top in the UK overall for research – with a greater proportion of 4* “world-leading” research than any other university.
  • In June, a league table published by the QS World University Rankings showed Imperial was ranked sixth in the world for 2023 – putting it third in the UK and top in London.
  • In July, the College recorded student satisfaction of 82% in the National Student Survey (NSS), putting Imperial first among fellow London Russell Group universities and second place among all Russell Group institutions.

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Reporter

Conrad Duncan

Communications Division