News | September 18, 2020
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide has named Cardiff Metropolitan University as Welsh University of the Year 2021.
The University has leapt 33 places in the league table, which is the institution’s highest ever jump in this guide and the third highest rise of any university in the UK this year.
The Welsh University of the Year 2021 accolade recognises Cardiff Met’s strong performance in this year’s National Student Survey where the University featured in the UK top 40 for both satisfaction with teaching quality and the wider student experience.
The award also acknowledges the University’s progress in delivering on its ambitious strategy and associated range of developments over recent years. The development of Cardiff School of Technologies and our long-standing and outstanding contribution to sport performance and participation were particularly highlighted.
The University has also been recognised as a supportive, inclusive and welcoming work and study environment that strives to nurture healthy and resilient staff, students and communities across Cardiff and beyond by widening participation and adding value to the lives of its diverse students.
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide is an annual publication that helps inform prospective students and their parents about higher education in the UK. The online guide was published on Friday 18 September and the print edition will be distributed on Sunday 20 September with The Sunday Times.
Alastair McCall, editor of The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “Cardiff Met’s performance in this year’s academic ranking is exceptional. It is the biggest riser in Wales, and the third biggest in the UK, ranking in the UK top 40 now for student satisfaction with teaching quality and the wider student experience.
“Known for providing hands-on higher education, Cardiff Met performed strongly in our new employment measure with nearly three-quarters of graduates in high-skilled jobs or postgraduate study within 15 months of leaving. Add to this the exceptional contribution the university has made in the sporting arena over several decades - honing the talents of 300 international-standard athletes competing across 30 sports using sector-leading training facilities combined with top-class coaching - and the university made a compelling case to win this year’s award as Welsh University of the Year.”
Professor Cara Aitchison, Vice Chancellor and President of Cardiff Met said:
“The entire Cardiff Met community is absolutely delighted to kick off this new academic year with such a widely-recognised national award that acknowledges the quality of the education and experience we provide to students from around the globe.
“In today’s exceptionally competitive employment market, we work together as a values-driven University to give every graduate the Ethical, Digital, Global and Entrepreneurial skills that create the unique Cardiff Met EDGE.
“This has been a challenging year, but we have performed strongly across the board in the main annual surveys and guides. We have celebrated our success in the National Student Survey, the Graduate Outcomes Survey, the Complete University Guide, the Guardian University Guide and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
“Cardiff Met is here to serve its students and wider stakeholders and I’d like to acknowledge the role our partnerships have played in the award of Welsh University of the Year 2021 by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide.
“We are all on a journey and colleagues, students and wider partners have worked tirelessly to deliver these results which are wholly in line with the very stretching milestones we set out over three years ago.
“Becoming Welsh University of the Year 2021 has been a collective OneCardiffMet effort and I hope every single member of staff feels proud of the part they have played in this huge success. Thank you to everyone who has made this outstanding achievement possible.”
