UWS in Summary

High ranking

  • Higher Educational Institution of the Year (The Herald Higher Education Awards 2022)
  • Ranked in the top 150 of the world’s best universities that are 50 years old or younger (source: The Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2022)
  • Officially recognised by Times Higher Education in the top 200 universities worldwide as assessed against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UWS was the most impactful university in Scotland for 'decent work and economic growth' (UN SDG 8), and 23rd most impactful university in the world for 'reducing inequalities' (UN SDG 10) (source: The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2022)
  • In the top 800 universities in Times Higher Education 2023 World University Rankings (source: The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023)
  • 90 percent of research at UWS is classed as world-leading, internationally excellent, or recognised internationally (source: Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021)
  • UWS Students’ Union won the University Students’ Association of the Year in the National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland Awards 2022
  • One of Scotland's largest modern universities and one of its most socially inclusive (source: The Times / The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022)
  • First in Scotland and 14th in UK for the measure in Times Higher Education's Global Impact rankings, which rates universities according to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (source: The Times / The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022)
  • Childhood and Youth Studies is ranked 4th in the UK overall and in the top 10 for Student Satisfaction, Research Intensity and Graduate Prospects (source: Complete University Guide 2021-22)
  • Education (Initial Teacher Training) at UWS was ranked 8th in the UK overall & 1st in UK for Graduate Prospects (source: Complete University Guide 2021-22)*
  • Education (Initial Teacher Training) at UWS was ranked 12th in the UK overall (source: The Times / The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022)*
  • Top 100 in the UK for Teaching Quality and Graduate Prospects (source: The Times / The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022)

* this ranking was achieved for our undergraduate course in initial teacher training (BA (Hons) Education)

UWS Performance & Ambitions

You can find out more about UWS's performance and ambitions by visiting our Corporate Strategy and Plans webpage and our Financial Statements and Regulations webpage .

UWS's Corporate Strategy & Plans

UWS's Financial Statements

UWS - THE Young University Rankings 2022 Header Card
Last updated: 18/10/2022