Response to the Times Higher Education’s 2010 university league table

Published Thursday 16th September 10 The University of Leeds has responded to today's publication of the THE 2010 university league table. Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Arthur said: "The numerous university league tables on offer diverge widely in their results and methodologies, and every table, including this one, has a big element of subjectivity. In last week's QS world league table, in contrast, the University of Leeds rose 14 places to be ranked 85th in the world. "The THE table clearly has its limitations and inconsistencies - its compilers themselves admit to 'anomalies. It ignores the overall impact of a major research-intensive institution like Leeds; in the government's own research assessment exercise of all UK university research, Leeds came 8th for the quality and volume of its research, more than 60 percent of which was judged to be world-leading or internationally excellent. "The University provides a world class education to over 32,000 students from more than 130 countries; we are the country's second most popular university with more than 53,000 applications for undergraduate places each year and over 90 percent of our graduates go onto jobs or further study. The student experience, breadth, diversity and reputation of our great university remains a decisive factor in our favour.