The University was first named in a list of top 50 universities under the age of 50 by QS World University Rankings. Reaching 47th place in the Top 50 Under 50, Stirling has been recognised as one of the world's top young universities. The University received its highest ranking in the QS 50 under 50 and was one of only two British universities on the list.
First published in 2013, the QS Top 50 Under 50 celebrates universities which have established a strong position in the international ranking tables, in an impressively short space of time.
In the same week, the University also climbed in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, featuring in the top 350 worldwide. The result brings Stirling to joint 38th place in the UK and 6th in Scotland.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings, founded in 2004, lists the world's best universities, evaluated across teaching, research, international outlook and reputation. Stirling was praised for its international outlook.
The University also moved up 7 places to 43rd in the UK and 6th in Scotland in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017.The University’s improvement is due in part to Stirling’s improved 2016 NSS scores, a survey which gathers 4th year students' opinions on the quality of their courses, used to compile the rankings.
The guide provides students and their parents with an invaluable first reference point on the path to finding a university place. The league table is made up of nine indicators including student satisfaction with teaching quality and their wider student experience, research quality, graduate prospects, entrance qualifications held by new students, degree results achieved, student/staff ratios, service and facilities spend, and degree completion rates.
Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Stirling, Professor Gerry McCormac, said: “We welcome the improvement in this set of league table positions which reinforces Stirling’s reputation as an international university with a global reputation for high-quality teaching and research.
"Stirling’s continued success is testament to the hard work and commitment of the whole University community. Our new strategic plan pledges to build on our reputation as an outward-looking, global institution and the latest rankings are a welcome accolade as we look to the future."
14 subjects improved in this year’s Good University Guide rankings, including Computing Science which rose by more than 25 places. Stirling made the grade in Criminology and Communications and Media, taking the top spot in Scotland for both subjects and was named 2nd in Scotland and 5th in the UK for Education.