The University of Birmingham has been awarded the Daily Mail's University of the Year for 2027, surpassing 127 other institutions. This recognition stems from its strong overall performance across twelve key metrics, including graduate earnings and job prospects.
The university's graduates report an average annual earning of £31,400, with nearly 80% securing high-skilled employment shortly after graduation. This success is particularly noted in fields such as engineering, medicine, and business. The award is part of the 2027 Daily Mail University Guide, which is available online, with a print edition to be included with the Mail on Sunday.
This year's guide highlights a growing disparity among top universities, with significant differences in graduate employment opportunities, earnings, student support services, and dropout rates. The rankings aim to address concerns about the value of degrees and the challenges in the graduate job market, with a particular focus on three measures of graduate employment success and average starting salaries.
Birmingham's achievement as University of the Year was bolstered by student feedback, as indicated by its strong performance in the National Student Survey. It was also the highest-ranking of the 24 universities in the Russell Group based on student opinion.
Professor Adam Tickell, vice chancellor of the University of Birmingham, stated that the university's focus on skills, employability, and student success is instrumental in helping students thrive both during their studies and after graduation. He added that the award acknowledges Birmingham as a progressive institution dedicated to creating opportunities and advancing knowledge.
In related rankings, Imperial College secured the top position in the Daily Mail university league table for the fourth consecutive year, surpassing Oxford and Cambridge. Imperial College reported the highest average starting salaries of any university at £39,000.
Separately, the University of Worcester received the University of the Year for Graduate Jobs award, with 79.8 percent of its graduates finding high-skilled employment within 15 months of leaving, a figure higher than that of 17 Russell Group universities.
Staffordshire University was named Modern University of the Year, recognizing its success as a higher education institution founded after 1992. Earlier this year, it received the University of the Year title at the Graduate Futures Institute's academic employability awards for its achievements in placing students in prominent jobs.