We are delighted that the Guardian University league tables – University rankings which focus more heavily on student experience and learning – placed our programme amongst the 20 best Politics and IR programme in the UK for a second year running!

Our programme is ranked ahead of numerous Russell Group institutions, and remains the best Politics & IR programme from a post-92, widening participation! In particular, we have been ranked as one of the best Politics and IR programmes in the UK in the following categories:

• Student Satisfaction with the Course: 2nd (93.4%)

• Student Satisfaction with Teaching and Learning: 4th (93%)

• Student Satisfaction with Feedback: 2nd (84.2%)

• Value Added (a measure of how students’ academic performance improves at university): 16th (7/10), with University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Durham, Bristol, and Warwick (amongst other Universities). Given the lower UCAS tariff for entry to our degrees compared to the others, this is a clear sign that our work to widen participation is succeeding!

These scores reflect our team’s ethos: our hard work and commitment to teaching excellence, and our endeavour to create democratic, supportive, and inclusive spaces of learning which empower students, and which equip them with the intellectual tools to establish and lead meaningful and successful lives and professional careers.

The Guardian League tables are based on the NSS scores, and we would thus like to express our gratitude to our current students and recent graduates for their vote of confidence and support.

As we begin the new academic year, we hope that all of our students, new and continuing, will work in partnership with us to make the very best of whatever circumstances we may face.

There can be no doubt – choosing to study with us will be a decision you won’t regret!

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels