Latest national rankings place Lancaster University third in north west

Friday, 18 September 2026 at 08:56

By Beyond Radio News

Lancaster University has been named third in the north west in the latest Times and Sunday Times tables.

The university was also ranked 26th in the UK in The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2027.

It comes behind the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester in the north west, while the University of Cumbria, which has a campus in Lancaster, is 11th in the north west and 115th nationally.

For the second time in the guide's 33-year history both the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford have dropped out of the top three, ranking fourth and fifth respectively.

Helen Davies, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “Intellectual vigour, innovation, inspiration and ambition are alive and well on university campuses across the UK.

"As I edit this guide, I never fail to be energised by the optimism, scholarship and cutting edge discoveries that burnish our leading higher education institutions.

“What shines through more than ever this year is an emphasis on preparing students for future careers. Universities have tailored their campuses to suit hands-on learning with mock court rooms, simulations of clinical settings – some even serve the public – and trading floors.

“But, for this next generation of students and the higher education sector at large, this is a challenging time with institutions struggling with their own finances, and the toughest graduate jobs market in more than a decade. There are hard questions to ask: can I afford it? What will I get from a degree? Is it worth it?

“This is where our guide comes in. We are here to help, whether it is about deciding what subject to study, where to go, or how student loans really work.”

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