Robert Gordon named Scottish University of the Year

Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen has been named Scottish University of the Year.

The institution was awarded the title in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021, in which St Andrews retained the third highest place in the UK, behind only Oxford and Cambridge.

Robert Gordon rose 17 places in the overall UK-wide rankings, moving from 83rd place to 66th.

It was eighth in the UK for student experience and rose from 72nd to 12th in the UK for teaching quality.

Alastair McCall, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “Robert Gordon is one of the leading modern universities in the UK with a proud record of producing graduates that employers want.

“The world of work is never far away from its degree programmes and courses contain a strong practical element.

“This makes a compelling case for Robert Gordon to be Scottish University of the Year, particularly when combined with a hefty 17-place rise in our UK academic ranking this year and levels of student satisfaction with teaching quality and the wider university experience that are among the highest in the UK.”

Professor Steve Olivier, principal and vice chancellor at Robert Gordon University, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been awarded the Times and Sunday Times Scottish University of the Year 2021.

“This prestigious award could not have been gained without the incredible hard work of staff from across the university, who have been working tirelessly to ensure that RGU is the best university it can be.”

St Andrews remained the highest ranking Scottish university in the guide, with Glasgow University in second place for Scotland, followed by Edinburgh University.

Abertay University in Dundee was named UK University of the Year for Teaching Quality.

It also ranked top in Scotland for social inclusion, which measures the rate of students from state schools, ethnic minorities and those who are the first in their family to attend university.