Press release

Buckingham best University in the UK for the third year running

Friday 12 September 2008

Buckingham students have voted their University the best in the United Kingdom for student satisfaction for the third year in succession - placing it above its illustrious neighbours, Oxford and Cambridge.

Each year the Higher Education Funding Council commissions Ipsos / Mori to undertake the National Student Survey. Students comment on such topics as teaching, assessment and feedback, learning resources and personal development, as well as saying whether they are satisfied with the overall quality of their course. An impressive 96% of Buckingham students are satisfied with their course.

Established in 1976, and with campuses in Hunter Street and at Verney Park (on the London Road), Buckingham is the only independent University in the United Kingdom having received its Royal Charter in 1983.

Dr Terence Kealey, Vice-Chancellor of Buckingham, said:

"For the third year running we have come top of the National Student Survey. This means that our students have judged us to be the best university in Britain for teaching and support. The University of Buckingham was created to be Britain's only independent university because we believed that only by being independent of government could we put the student first, second and third. Our repeated success in the National Student Survey confirms that vision."

Margaret Taylor, Chairman of the Friends of the University, was thrilled to learn of the result.

"Buckingham should be really proud that it has the top university in the country. It's too easy to forget the huge contribution the University and its students make to the life of the town and to its economy."

For further information please contact:
Anne Matsuoka / Bethany Carter
Publicity Office
University of Buckingham
Tel: +44 (0)1280 820338 / 820213
email: anne.matsuoka@buckingham.ac.uk or bethany.carter@buckingham.ac.uk

Notes for Editors:

The Open University, based in Milton Keynes, was ranked third with an overall satisfaction of 93.6%. Satisfaction ratings in other local universities were Bedfordshire 78%, Bucks New (High Wycombe) 67.9%, Cambridge 92.5%, Northampton 80.2%, Oxford 92.2% and Oxford Brookes 85.5%.