Harper Adams continues as UK's top-rated modern university for a fifth year

Posted 18 September 2020

Harper Adams University’s run as the UK’s top-rated modern university continues for a fifth year – according to The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021, published this weekend.

The Guide ranks 131 UK higher education institutions using measures including student satisfaction, graduate employment prospects, teaching quality and research quality. Harper Adams, ranked 28th in the overall league, and is still the only post-1992 institution to have ever made it into the Times Top 30.

Vice-Chancellor, Dr David Llewellyn said: “It is a remarkable achievement to be placed in the top 30 universities in the Guide and to be the highest-ranked modern university in the UK for the fifth year in a row.

“Our top ten performance in teaching quality and student experience marks us out as a leading specialist university, where strong industry ties and the opportunity to undertake an industrial placement as part of our course will stand graduates in good stead when embarking on their careers.

“Our staff and students work hard to provide an outstanding educational environment at Harper Adams, and we are delighted that this has been recognised, once again, in the 2021 Good University Guide.”

In their review of Harper Adams, the guide’s editors write:

“It is the only university created since 1992 to ever break into the top 30. Strong scores in the National Student Survey, where it is placed in the top 10 for both teaching and the wider student experience, add to its reputation. Harper Adams is also distinguished by being one of only two institutions to achieve gold in successive years in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)... The TEF panel praised Harper Adams’ course design, delivery and assessment practices, which stretched and challenged students to achieve their full potential, and gain knowledge and skills valued by employers.

“The university has long been renowned as the country’s leading specialist agricultural institution… takes a global outlook on tackling challenges around food security, sustainable technologies and natural resource management and options reflect the modern landscape, extending well beyond agriculture to include business, veterinary nursing and physiotherapy, land and property management, engineering and food studies.”

The guide highlights Harper Adams University’s strong completion rates - with only half of the projected number of students dropping out (5.2% against the benchmark level of 10.4%).

In the subject tables, Harper Adams places 7th for agriculture and forestry, but is the highest-ranked specialist institution; and is in the top 10 for animal science.

To find out more about studying at Harper Adams, book a place at the next Virtual Open Day on October 10.