Four UK universities in world top six - QS World Rankings 2012

11 September 2012

Commenting on the QS World University Rankings 2012, Dr Wendy Piatt, Director General of the Russell Group, said:

“All league tables have their limitations and students should look beyond them when picking a degree course. However the QS rankings provide one of many indicators showing that the UK’s leading universities continue to lead the way in the global brain race. But without proper investment our competitors will soon overtake us. 

“With four institutions in the global top six and 17 in the top 100, Russell Group universities punch well above their weight – making the UK one of the few countries with a place at the top table. But the UK has already slipped below Mexico and Russia and has been caught up by India in terms of investment in higher education as a proportion of GDP. If we are serious about staying on top, the Government must concentrate investment where it will have the most impact: in our world-class research-intensive universities.

“These tables show that growing numbers of international students are a common feature among world-beating universities, with UK institutions leading the way. As it seeks to clamp down on  abuses of the visa system, the Government must be careful not to push the best and the brightest students away from the UK and into the arms of our competitors.” 

Note to editors

1. For comparative HE investment figures, see OECD Education at a Glance, 2012

Related case studies

Cardiff University - Leading the world in compound semiconductor development

Cardiff University is a lead partner in a consortium which has created the world's first compound semiconductor cluster in Wales. CSconnected will help position the region as a global leader in enabling new and emerging technologies. 

Read more >

Improving survival rates for people with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited condition, caused by a genetic mutation, which affects 75,000 adults and children worldwide. Research at Queen’s University Belfast led to the development of a transformative new drug, Ivacaftor, which has brought outstanding improvements in survival and quality of life for people with the disease. 

Read more >