4 Star QS rating for University
Mon, 28 Apr 2014 05:00:00 BST
We have boosted our international reputation by being awarded a 4 Star rating by one of the world’s leading research organisations. The result includes top scores of five stars in several major categories, including teaching standards, widening participation and support for disadvantaged students, the high standard of student facilities and the international feel of the community and the campus. Graduate employability was another key area that earned high marks.
“Achieving a QS 4 star rating is one of the KPIs in our Strategy Map,” said the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Slee. “QS is a benchmarking system that allows us to measure ourselves against other global universities. The 4 star rating defines us as ‘highly international, demonstrating excellence in both research and teaching with an excellent environment for students and faculty’ and the award of maximum scores – leading to five stars in the criteria of teaching, internationalisation, student facilities and access – means that Huddersfield is already ranked among the very best nationally and globally. The Q Stars system is widely recognised across the world and this award will help further develop the University’s growing international reputation.”
Top 500 international rankings
The QS Star rating system is also the gateway to the increasingly influential “Top 500” international rankings that are compiled and published by QS Stars, and we are using the benchmarking system to identify how it can strengthen our provision and be recognised as a world leading university.
The parent organisation, Quacquarelli Symonds – known as QS – was founded in 1990 and has established itself as a leading global provider of specialist higher education and careers information. It has offices in London, Paris, Singapore, Shanghai, Washington DC and Johannesburg and the QS World University Rankings have been in existence since 2004.
5-star rating for Teaching, Internationalisation, Facilities and Access
When a university decides to submit itself to scrutiny by QS, it furnishes large amounts of data in a wide range of fields. Those described as “core criteria” include aspects of teaching. Huddersfield was given maximum marks for overall student satisfaction and for satisfaction with teaching. These findings contributed to a 5-star rating.
There were five stars too in the ‘Internationalisation’ criterion, with top marks for international research collaborations, for international diversity and for the proportion of international students on the campus.
The University’s learning environment also scooped five stars, with maximum scores for IT infrastructure, medical provision and for sporting facilities – boosted at the start of 2014 by the opening of Student Central.
There were also impressive results in the employability category, with 47 out of 50 marks for careers service support and 50 out of 50 for graduate employment rate.
When the subject of access was appraised, Huddersfield earned maximum scores in all criteria that included disabled access, gender balance, low-income outreach and the provision of scholarships and bursaries.
Some fields returned lower scores. These included research, but it is expected that Huddersfield’s rating will increase markedly when the findings of the new Research Excellence Framework are made available towards the end of 2014.
Professor Slee said that Huddersfield’s impressive debut in the QS ratings was down to the hard work and professionalism of all staff across the University. “I hope colleagues will feel very proud that their commitment to the highest standards of service has been recognised across the world,” he added.
