US EditionOxford and Cambridge Drop Out of Top Three Uni Ranking for First Time
London School of Economics leads UK rankings due to improved teaching and student experience, with Durham University named University of the Year 2026 for climbing from fifth place.
- For the first time in 32 years, Oxford and Cambridge slipped outside the top three in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, with Durham rising to third.
- The guide's methodology assesses teaching quality, student experience, research quality, sustainability and graduate prospects, with Durham University climbing from fifth to third this year after improvements in teaching, research and student satisfaction.
- The guide's awards list shows Durham University named University of the Year 2026 after rising from fifth last year, LSE won University of the Year for Academic Performance and Russell Group University of the Year, and Imperial College London ranked sixth in graduate-employment awards.
- As demand climbs, critics have targeted Oxford for assessment changes, raising `dumbing down` concerns and prompting political criticism, amid rising admissions competition.
- Full results will be published on September 19, 2025, in a 96-page Sunday supplement, with the guide profiling 133 universities despite The Guardian placing Oxford first earlier this week.
23 Articles
23 Articles
End of an era: Oxford and Cambridge fall out of Sunday Times top three
Oxford and Cambridge have lost their grip on the UK’s top three universities. For the first time in 32 years, neither appears at the top of the Sunday Times Good University Guide. The 2026 edition, released on Sunday, puts the London School of Economics (LSE) in first place. St Andrews takes second. Durham University comes in third and wins the title of University of the Year 2026. Oxford and Cambridge sit together in fourth (The Independent). O…
Oxford and Cambridge Drop Out of Top Three in University Rankings Because of "Misguided Attempts at Equality" – The Daily Sceptic
Oxford and Cambridge universities have failed to get into the top three in the Times's prestigious annual university ranking for the first time, with experts blaming "misguided attempts at equality".
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LSE Beats Oxford as Top UK University for Second Year
For the second year running, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has been crowned the best university in Britain — topping Oxford and Cambridge while cementing its place at the top of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026. The achievement marks a historic reshaping of the country's higher education hierarchy, with Oxford and Cambridge falling out of the top three for the first time in the guide's 32-yea…
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