By Lucy Farrington-Smith

Enrolling onto a postgraduate degree is a big step – you’re committing time, money, and yourself to a single discipline for at least a year. It goes without saying that it needs to be a considered choice, not only in terms of what subject you pick but also whether it’s the right choice for you as an individual.

So, before you decide to opt for further study, take note of the points below to ensure you’re fully prepared for your postgraduate degree.

Check the university is right for you

University rankings are an invaluable source of information at your disposal when researching a prospective course – you can quickly and easily assess a location’s suitability in terms of teaching, facilities, and graduate employment success with a few Google searches.

If you can, get to know recent graduates or current students of the university in question. This will give you a hands-on understanding of what the environment is really like, alongside the facts and figures as captured in league-table rankings.

There is nothing more valuable than a personal recommendation – so get talking.

Plan how you’ll schedule your studies

Contact hours are a pivotal component of your postgrad – and success in your discipline rests upon them. Before applying, fully research your course and immerse yourself in the information. Is your teaching on-site or off? Is it distance learning or in-house? How many hours a week of contact time should you expect?

At this point you should also consider if you want to undertake a full-time or part-time degree. Are you wanting to continue or take up part-time employment alongside your study, or can you afford to apply yourself entirely to your course without an income? Iron out these variables now to ensure that your choice further down the line is an informed one.

Nothing should surprise you once you have enrolled at university – so do the background work in advance to make sure you don’t uncover any red flags when it’s too late to make a change.

Find out what extra benefits you can get alongside your degree

You know you’ll come out with a postgrad degree in your chosen field – but what else can the university offer you? Is there the option to study abroad or to be on placement during teaching? Research your prospective lecturers and professors – are they established in their field? What accolades do they have to their name? Can they connect you with valuable contacts in the industry? Discover what advice they can offer in addition to their teaching.

Postgrads aren’t cheap – so you’re well within your rights to milk them for all you can.

Ask yourself why you’re really doing this

It’s all too easy to get carried away with the application process and speed ahead without realizing, but you should take a step back and ask yourself one question before hitting submit: why do I want to do a postgraduate degree?

The answer should be something along the lines of the fact you want to further yourself professionally in a field that you’re passionate about.

A postgrad isn’t something to just stumble into “because my friends are doing it” or “because I don’t know what I want to do yet, so I’m just continuing university”. As we’ve said before, you’ll be applying your time, money, and yourself to a discipline for a prolonged period of time, so you need to be fully invested in it, and ready for the hours of hard work, stress, and headaches it will bring.

Preparation is the key to success – so before you undertake a postgraduate degree, ensure that you are fully clued-up so nothing comes as a surprise.

Lucy Farrington-Smith writes for Inspiring Interns, a recruitment agency specializing in matching career starters with graduate jobs. For everything from marketing internships to graduate jobs Manchester, click here.

Lead image: Wikimedia Commons

By Danielle Pacheco

Congratulations! You’re heading to study abroad in a great city, jumped through all the paperwork hoops and arrived in a foreign country’s airport with just your suitcase and a heady sense of excitement. What now?

In a few months time, you’ll have made new friends and gained an invaluable knowledge of a new culture, but you’ll also be broke. Like, totally, totally broke. You’re not even sure if you can afford the plane ticket home anymore because you’ve had to pawn pretty much everything you own. It’s that bad.

The euphoria of going on exchange to a new country is something everyone should experience, but it can also be one of the most financially stressful times of your life.  You want to see everything and do everything, but it’s hard to budget when you’re thinking in a strange currency and everything is so shiny and new.

So, before you get to this point of no return, take a quick peek at the list below.  By following these suggestions, you might just be able to pull off the perfect, stress-free study abroad experience.

Save money by opening a local bank account

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One of the worst parts about studying abroad has to be the conversion and ATM fees you pay, just for the privilege of changing your money into a different currency. To work around this, open a local bank account ASAP then take your maximum daily limit out of your home bank and shuttle it straight back into the local bank account at the same ATM. By boosting your local bank account balance, you’ll only pay the ATM fees once and you’ll be able to spend money in the local currency. When you need more cash, do the same thing instead of just taking out twenty at a time.

Eat local (and healthily)

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Before I went on exchange, my parents warned me about the son of a friend of theirs who had gone to college, eaten only beer and pizza for a few months in a row, and developed scurvy.  Yes, the pirate disease! That’s what happens when you don’t get your fruits and vegetables, folks.

It’s tempting to just stock up on pesto pasta, but you’ll do much better if you hit up the local markets.  Buy food that is in season and look up some local recipes to find out how people there survive all winter.  Then, make enough for leftovers and bring some to school the next day for lunch to save money.

The smart way to go out

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There’s no way you’re going to stay home every night just to avoid paying money for a few drinks with your new friends, so be prepared for nights out to be the biggest money sinkhole you’ll face. Reduce the amount you spend by doing some research into free museum days, open-air cinemas, street festivals and other cheap events so you can still get your dose of culture without breaking the bank.

Also, bring your student ID card everywhere and check Groupon or local versions for discounts or other ways to save money. When it comes to nightlife, having a few friends over or doing a picnic under the stars can be a pretty sweet way of avoiding the overpriced nightclubs.

Get a bike

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Yet another reason to be stuck at home, steeped in gloom, is because you can’t afford the bus to the city centre.  It goes without saying that expensive cab rides weren’t designed for broke students, and sometimes even public transport can seem pricey. 

For a great way to explore the city on your own terms, get a second-hand bike or subscribe to one of the public bike-sharing systems that are cropping up in more and more cities around the world. You’ll never have to worry about missing the last train, and you’ll have total freedom to explore all the cute side streets you never would have noticed otherwise.

Skimp on textbooks

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Another thing that’s easy to forget about when planning your time abroad is the money you’ll need for textbooks. These costs can add up so look into buying your textbooks second-hand or seeing if you can find them online. Literature majors can rely upon Gutenberg Online, a growing database of books that are too old to be copyrighted and are back in the public domain. Most of the classics are in there and freely accessible.

Make some pocket change

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If, despite your best efforts, you’re still strapped for cash at the end of the month and your study abroad visa prevents you from working in this country, what can you do?  Well, an easy way to make some money on exchange is by tutoring, translating or babysitting on the side. If you don’t want to commit to anything that drastic, check out the psychology labs at local universities.  They’re often looking for participants for studies and will pay you to spend an hour answering a survey or doing some sort of mindless task. A bit of pocket money should keep the wolf at bay for a little longer!

Lead image: Modern Languages @ FLCC: Costa Rica Study Abroad 2015 (Flickr)

Sponsored by LUMSA

When the US pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement earlier this month, Google, Apple, Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, and countless other businesses condemned his move. Why? Because sustainability management isn’t just a global humanitarian challenge, it’s the business opportunity of the century. Here’s why you should get involved.

1. Sustainability degrees are like a fine wine...

… They get better with age. While you could have gotten away a decade ago without a sustainability management degree, green credentials like LUMSA’s MSc in Management and Sustainability are increasingly sought after because businesses need grads with the in-depth expertise and professional toolkit required to untangle complex social issues.

Were you to upskill by doing LUMSA’s MSc, you could expect to find jobs in new innovative fields like corporate social responsibility, sustainability management, consultancy and business analysis, social entrepreneurship, whether for think tanks, multinationals, European and international institutions, public administrations, NGOs or social enterprises.

2. More and more companies have sustainability programs

As sustainability becomes more widespread, an increasing number of businesses across sectors including finance, healthcare, manufacturing and construction will rely on sustainability managers to untangle complex sustainability issues.

A common misconception about sustainability is that it’s fundamentally incompatible with most business models. However, thanks to huge strides in technology, increasingly reliable renewables and shifting public opinion, many corporations have realized sustainability also means greater efficiency and have therefore turned to renewables to cap prices, guarantee supply security and foster brand love.

A 2016 report found that investors worth as much as US$5 trillion chucked fossil fuels from their portfolios, as researchers at UC Berkeley and Stanford estimate $50 trillion savings by 2050 if renewables completely replace fossil fuels. 

3. Grads deal with high-impact social and environmental issues

Whether you choose to serve the public or private sector, working in sustainability management means dedicating your career to limiting the depletion of our natural resources and maintaining the quality of life on Earth. Why is this important? Because research has shown professionals who find their work meaningful are happier and more productive.

4. It’s an emotionally and financially rewarding career

In sustainability, business executives tend to earn very comfortable median salaries. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, median salaries in sustainability range between US$46,000 and US$72,000, with management jobs at the very top end of the payscale. Meanwhile, salaries for sustainability management professionals in the UK are on the rise, with a 2016 report estimating they earn £57,350 (US$73,100) on average, while top earners make £94,000 (US$119,800).

5. You could step into the C-level executive suite

Sustainability leadership roles are on the rise. Most companies these days have a C-level executive suite comprising of executive, financial, operations, marketing, and technology chief officers. A few forward-looking businesses now also employ a chief sustainability officer - a growing role with increasing responsibilities and a bright future. As corporations evolve to survive a warming planet with strained resources, there will be a growing need for sustainability chiefs to come in and manage sustainability from a business management perspective.

Study sustainability management at LUMSA in Rome
The Italian university’s MSc in Management and Sustainability covers topics like corporate social responsibility, sustainability, regulation and the European Union against on-going major global economic reshuffling and environmental and social emergencies. Your training would suit you perfectly for a career as a manager or consultant in the public or private sectors, or at an NGO.

Situated in the Prati district of Rome, with some of its campus buildings dating back to 1859, within walking distance of San Pietro and the Vatican City, LUMA brings together old and new. If you’re interested, you can read about the Club of Rome and the Italian capital’s strong sustainability track record here.

To find out more about the program, drop Professor Nicoletta Rangone a line and she’ll get back to you with more information.

Summer is here and exams are finished which can mean only one thing: it’s time to have some fun. Sure, you could spend your time reading through the latest world university rankings, but let’s face it, you just want something silly you can share in the group chat.

Here are the headlines which have been making us laugh this month.

Beat the heat by dressing like a woman

What do a group of schoolboys and a 20-year-old call center worker have in common? They both decided to get around strict dress codes by wearing women’s clothes. Boys at a school in Devon in the UK were told shorts weren’t official school uniform, and so a group of them joined forces and decided to wear skirts into school instead.

Joey, also from the UK, took things one step further when he was told not to wear shorts at the call center he worked in. Do you think he pulls it off?

pic.twitter.com/tIvA7UvDoN

— joey (@jBarge_) June 19, 2017

Saving money by any means necessary

If you live in the UK, you’re probably fully aware how ridiculously expensive train tickets cost. Joe, a 21-year-old from Newcastle, found an enterprising solution to this by flying from Newcastle to London via Menorca in Spain – a long-winded journey that saved him over £50. Joe even had time to fit in a Sex on the Beach cocktail while he was abroad. Not bad!

Newcastle - London Train£78.50 Newcastle - Menorca £15.99 Menorca - London £10.99 Car hire £7.50 Sex on the beach cocktail £4 I can have a night on a Spanish island, hire a car, have a cocktail on the beach, fly back to London and still have £40 left over..... OR I could have sat on a train What would you have rather done? #virgintrains #thomascook @virgin @thomascookuk

A post shared by Joe Furness (@joethesailor) on Jun 23, 2017 at 1:52pm PDT

How to delay your flight

Talking of flying, maybe don’t do what one Chinese woman did this week. Attempting to secure good luck for her departing flight, an 80-year-old passenger threw coins into the plane’s engine. Funnily enough, that wasn’t very good for the engines, and her concerned fellow passengers alerted the authorities. Although eight of the nine coins were recovered, the flight was deemed unsafe to fly without the final coin being removed and so all 150 passengers were delayed for five hours. So much for good luck.

Strike a pose

This doesn’t require much set-up. French president Emmanuel Macron posed for his official portrait this month and it didn’t take long for everyone to go a little weak at the knees.

emmanuel macron's official portrait is full on "monsieur grey will see you now" pic.twitter.com/HxoWgfoawu

— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) June 29, 2017

Under the sea

For some reason, this newly discovered sea worm has never featured in an episode of Spongebob Squarepants or The Little Mermaid.

Peculiar group of sea creatures found in deep Australian abyss https://t.co/5WtQziRTCO pic.twitter.com/l66QwStKpA

— IBTimes UK (@IBTimesUK) June 17, 2017

We’re sure it has nothing to do with what it looks like…

Suddenly I wanna go deep sea diving pic.twitter.com/nUKgSdwtge

— ㅤ (@festivating) June 17, 2017

Naughty Queenie

Following a comically disastrous UK general election, the Queen headed to parliament to kick things off for Theresa May’s propped-up minority Conservative government by giving the Queen’s Speech. While most people chose to focus on how much the Queen’s hat resembled the EU flag, one eagle-eyed viewer was too busy calling the police to report Her Majesty for not wearing a seatbelt.

Glastonbury’s must-see act

We end the round-up with a quick look at the biggest highlights of this year’s Glastonbury festival? Was it Radiohead, Foo Fighters or Ed Sheeran who impressed attendees the most? Was it the unusually hot weather that made it a weekend to remember? Nope, apparently not. Labour PM Jeremy Corbyn arrived at the festival, addressing crowds from the Pyramid Stage and receiving the adulation of hundreds of thousands of people. He was so popular, almost every other set across the weekend was punctuated by cheers of “Ohhh, Jeremy Corbyn” to the tune of Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. Stormzy loved it so much, he even joined in…

Lead image: Raph_PH (Flickr)

By Emily Valentine

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but it’s hard not to sometimes. Why study somewhere dark and dingy, when you could be getting your degree while surrounded by elaborate gothic architecture that would give Hogwarts a run for its money, or cutting-edge modern design. Study somewhere that will give you a great education but also inspire you every day. After all, who said you can’t have both beauty and brains?

University of Oxford

Voted as the most beautiful university in the UK in 2016, Oxford is a place of beauty, complete with gothic spires and picturesque green spaces. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s really easy to channel your inner Harry Potter as some of the scenes from the movie were filmed on campus.

University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota’s Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum pushes the uni into our top 10.  Complete with an angular design and silver stainless steel cladding, this space-age-style art museum was designed by architect Frank Gehry, and still resembles a building of the future, despite 20 years having passed since it was built. Beneath the unusual exterior lies a center of education, creating “experiences that spark discovery, critical thinking, and transformation, linking the university and the community”.

Nanyang Technological University

Also the top young university in the world, Nanyang has more than just good looks on its side. The university’s reputation as being at the center of cutting edge technology, engineering and research is clearly reflected in its architecture. A mix of modern design and recreational space with plenty of natural light make this university one of the most aesthetically pleasing on the list.

Taroudant University

Another newly built university, Taroudant combines modern and traditional design in perfect harmony. Set in the southern desert, its carefully thought-out design allows for shady areas to combat the intense Moroccan heat.  Aside from being a bit of a looker, with its rustic orange walls and sweeping lines, the location of the university is also worth mentioning. Set at the foot of the mighty Atlas mountains, this is definitely a university with a view.

University of Salamanca

The University of Salamanca, set in the UNESCO world heritage city of Salamanca, is the oldest university in Spain, dating all the way back to the 13th century. The stunning Baroque architecture is a feast for the eyes, but the university isn’t just a pretty face. With a long and prestigious history, the university has educated some pretty famous alumni, including Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote.

University of Cape Town

With a backdrop of Table Mountain and a view out over the Cape Peninsula, The University of Cape Town’s dramatic location will take your breath away.  The university also happens to be a top ranker in South Africa so studying here will ensure you get the best of both worlds.

University of Southern Denmark

Designed by architectural wizard Henning Larsen, the state of the art School of Communications and Design at the Southern University of Denmark’s Odense campus is deserving of a place in the top 10.  With 20% of the campus consisting of woodland, the university is a shining example of Scandinavian simplicity at its best. The charming town of Odense is just on your doorstep too, so you’re in for a double treat of eye candy if you study here.

Peking University

Chinese architecture is arguably some of the most ornate in the world, and there’s plenty of traditional design to be enjoyed at Peking University. The campus is based in the former Qing Dynasty imperial gardens and is a haven of tranquility, complete with pagodas, peaceful gardens, lakes and traditional buildings. Aside from its beauty, the university is also known for its string of influential alumni and is rated year after year as one of the top universities in China.

University of Tasmania

If you like the idea of getting a healthy dose of fresh air and a backdrop of rolling mountains with your education, then look no further than The University of Tasmania. You can enjoy a whole range of outdoor activities that take advantage of the university’s beautiful island location, so if you’re into kayaking, surfing, mountain climbing, then you’ll be in your element. The university is also the perfect place to study an environment-related degree.

Pepperdine University

If it’s a view to die for that you’re after, then Pepperdine University in Malibu should definitely be on your shortlist of places to study at. Surrounded by mountains and overlooking the Pacific Ocean, you can’t get much better than this if you want a sea view.  If you ever tire of the view (which let’s face it, you probably won’t) then Los Angeles is around an hour’s drive away.

Emily Valentine writes graduate careers advice for Inspiring Interns, who specialize in matching career starters with graduate jobs. For everything from analytical roles to marketing internships, click here.

When it comes to picking a top US university to apply to, you’re unlikely to give much consideration initially to whether a particular institution is privately or publicly funded. Let’s face it: where a university gets its funding is nowhere near as interesting as what the course is like, what the university’s reputation is, how close it is to home and what the campus culture is like. Even so, the private/public debate is worth paying attention to, especially as public universities typically offer lower tuition fees to in-state students.

The case for public universities

Pictured: The University of Washington (ranked 22nd in the US this year)

Yes, that’s right, public universities normally offer lower tuition fees than their private counterparts. As you may already know, this is because some funding for public universities comes from state governments instead of solely from student fees.

Public universities also typically offer a wide choice of majors and are less likely to be specialist institutions. While this isn’t a positive for anyone who already knows the exact field they wish to study in, it might appeal to you if you’re still undecided or just like the idea of studying somewhere that’s academically diverse.

The case for private universities

Pictured: Yale University (ranked eighth in the US this year)

If private universities cost more, why would anyone choose to attend them? Well, the simple answer is that they’re better. Private universities out-perform public universities in ranking tables and enjoy a much stronger reputation academically. Class sizes are also usually smaller, ensuring you’ll have more time to interact with your tutors on a one-on-one basis. The student demographic is potentially also much more varied than at public universities where in-state students make up a considerable majority. Where you live won’t affect your chances of getting into a private university.

Even the argument that public universities will save you money isn’t necessarily true. Many private universities will offer financial support packages to prospective students and will judge application on a needs-blind basis. This means applications are picked on academic merit and students are offered as much financial support as they require.

So where should I study?

Ultimately, this is a decision that’s up to you. Like we said at the start, the distinction between private and public is unlikely to be enough to swing it entirely, but it has an impact on several other key factors. Both types of university have a different type of atmosphere and campus culture, both will offer a slightly different academic experience and both will cost considerably different amounts.

Here's a rundown of the top public and private universities in the US, according to the QS World University Rankings® 2018. As you can see, the top private universities are also the top universities in the world. There are, however, several high-performing public universities that shouldn’t be overlooked, particularly if they’re based in your state.

Top US public universities

Top US private universities

By Felix Rante

Once you’ve graduated from university and secured a full-time job, it might seem unlikely that you’ll ever go back into higher education but don’t write it off just yet. There are many people, myself included, who decide to study for a master’s degree while working a full-time job.

If you’re considering doing the same, it’s worth saying that there are tremendous benefits to having a master’s degree. It could increase your chances of getting a vital promotion, double your salary or allow you to look for more specialized work within your field. However, as well as these benefits, it will also be intellectually challenging and can be a pain to juggle with your full-time job. Here are some tips to making the balancing act easier.

Keep your manager happy

Combining a full-time job with a master’s degree is always easier in workplaces which actively promote continuous learning but, even if that’s true, you need to ensure you keep your manager on-board with the idea. If you’re thought of positively and demonstrate a strong work ethic, you’re more likely to have requests for flexible working hours or time off for studying approved. Try to think of processes or systems you could implement that will make your workload easier while you study.

Work more efficiently

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, says that, in many cases, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. So, if you want to keep on top of both your studies and your work, it’s important that you stop doing things which aren’t having a significant impact on your output. Increase your productivity by leveraging your resources and managing your time better, ignoring non-essential tasks which just eat up time.

Get it down, then it get right

Working full-time means you won’t have all the time in the world to spend on university assignments, so you need to use every opportunity possible. Don’t try and delay starting your uni work until you’re in the “right frame of mind” or have a whole afternoon free to dedicate to it. If you do this, you might never get started and you’ll end up submitting a mediocre piece of work or running out of time.

Once you have finished a piece of work, don’t wait to start the next one. By starting immediately, it’s easier to pick up from where you left off. Even if you only get down some rough notes, it will make the next time you work on it easier and ensure you complete all your assignments on time and to a high quality.

Create your own study hub

Studying from home works fine for many, but you might feel more productive if you have somewhere else to study. Local libraries or coffee shops can be good places to study without the distractions of home, but if you want a base that’s truly yours you could look at renting an office space somewhere. This is likely to be expensive but it allows you to have a base where you can keep all your study books and notes so you don’t have to carry anything around. The lack of distractions should also help you avoid procrastination, while you can always step out and get a drink from a nearby coffee shop when you need it most.

Say goodbye to some of your vices

While you can get away with the occasional weekend spent partying and drinking, you’ll have to trade away some of your leisure time if you’re planning to study while you work. This also applies to other regular commitments, whether it’s sport you normally play every week or volunteer shifts at local charities. Be prepared to spend your weekends doing assignments and preparing for exams.

Felix Rante is a lead Java Software Engineer and a part-time professional MSc student at Oxford University. He likes travelling, taking awesome photos and having a nice cup of a specialty coffee.

(Lead image: Gabriel Rojas Hruska (Flickr))

By Josephine West

Fewer EU students will apply to UK universities as a result of Brexit, according to a new report into the effects of the EU referendum.

Many students surveyed across Europe for the report, published by the QS Intelligence Unit, said they felt Brexit showed immigrants are no longer welcome in the UK. This was particularly true among students in Spain and Italy, with many telling interviewers they felt personally insulted by the EU referendum result. They were also scathingly critical of the lack of certainty surrounding Brexit, attributing blame to the UK government’s lack of transparency and communication on the matter.

Over 1,000 students were asked for their opinions on Brexit in the report, with interviews carried out in 11 cities across Europe. Responses were overwhelmingly concerned or pessimistic, with only 12% of students in France, 10% of students in Germany, 7% of students in Italy, and 6% of students in Spain saying they believe Brexit will have a positive impact on their career. Interestingly, many of the more positive responses may have been motivated by a sense of opportunity. For example, some students, particularly in Frankfurt, felt that London’s financial district was set to relocate in their favour and championed the economic benefit to their own countries.

Although wider perceptions about the UK had not completely changed, a common point of discussion was that universities outside the elite Russell Group could suffer more from leaving the EU. According to students, middle tier universities such as Lancaster or Reading University would struggle to attract international students in the face of rising fees, visa restrictions, and funding reductions.

What should universities do now?

The report, titled The Effects of the EU Referendum on the UK’s International Student Market, recommends several ways British institutions can target students from the EU and keep their international student figures high. Reassuring students and setting out some key communication strategies is crucial to calming fears. Fees also need to be addressed, with proposals for financial aid and scholarships clearly set out. Transparency will go a long way to rebuilding relationships, and universities that adopt a personal touch for different countries at university fairs and grad school events may see good results.

If UK universities can counteract negative perceptions about the UK being unwelcome to immigrants, and make clear the British HE system’s door is wide open, a significant drop in EU applicants could yet be prevented.

Every summer, the world’s best universities clamber up the QS World University Rankings® 2018. From employer reputation to faculty student ratio, we factor in a good mix of different indicators to give you a clear picture of how the world’s best universities compare, but sometimes a picture can tell you more than any ranking ever could. Take a look at the best universities in the world this year.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Next to the lovely hot pink hydrangea is Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Killian Court, a marble-clad building erected in 1916 with beautiful friezes carved in large Roman letters overlooking the Boston river and skyline. These days, it’s mostly used to host ceremonies.

2. Stanford University

Pictured here is Stanford University’s student observatory, situated in the green, rolling hills west of Stanford’s main campus. It features several telescopes and is largely used to teach astrophysics. It’s also a great spot to take lovely scenic shots of the Californian countryside.

3. Harvard University

Harvard University’s football stadium is U-shaped and has a capacity of 30,323 seats. Since its construction in 1903, it’s hosted the 1984 Summer Olympics, as well as 660 football and lacrosse competitions, various political rallies and live music gigs.

4. California Institute of Technology

The Pasadena-based California Institute of Technology has a beautiful sunny campus situated approximately 11 miles from Downtown Los Angeles. It’s got lovely arched corridors, reddish brown tiles, domes and bell towers, and Spanish influences here and there. Pictured here is California Institute of Technology’s Los Angeles-era 70-seat Beckman Auditorium, where performing arts, screenings, and lectures often take place.

5. University of Cambridge

This photo of the May Ball, a black tie Cambridge-wide tradition celebrating the end of the academic year, was taken at St John’s College, a college of the university known for its famous alumni, including the Romantic poet William Wordsworth and the slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce.

6. The University of Oxford

Pictured here is the view from Oxford University’s stunning Bodleian, one of the oldest libraries in Europe. A beautiful dome of meandering mahogany staircases, it’s home to 330 oil paintings and inlaid wooden ceilings as well as over 12 million books and other items.

7. University College London  

University College London’s quad (short for quadrangle) pictured here faces the UK capital’s Gower Street. It’s a short walk from Soho, King’s Cross, the British Museum, and the Senate House Library, a Brutalist tower built in 1937 that inspired the fictional Ministry of Truth described in George Orwell’s acclaimed novel 1984.

 8. Imperial College London

Pictured here is Imperial’s South Kensington campus, a beautiful medley of architectural styles ranging from the Edwardian to the ultra-modern.

9. University of Chicago

The University of Chicago’s main campus based in downtown Chicago has a very collegiate Gothic architectural style modelled after the UK-based University of Oxford. With ivy creeping up its limestone facades, lovely traceried windows and spires, the resemblance is uncanny.

10. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

The main building of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich was built in 1864 and inspired by neoclassical architecture.

As if there weren’t enough university rankings out there already, the UK government has introduced another one and several top UK universities have performed poorly.

LSE, Southampton and Liverpool were handed the lowest possible ranking of bronze in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), despite all being members of the elite Russell Group of universities. By contrast, many universities which rarely feature near the top of rankings were awarded gold, including Bangor, Buckingham, Coventry and Portsmouth.

TEF has been introduced by the Conservative government as a way of assessing the quality of teaching at different universities. In the future, the plan is that a university’s TEF rating will determine how much they can charge students in tuition fees. Only universities rated gold and silver will be allowed to increase fees in line with inflation.

So, how is TEF calculated then?

Universities included in the Teaching Excellence Framework were assessed by an independent panel of academics, students and employers. Mainly, this assessment is based upon the following data:

• National Student Survey responses about “the teaching on my course”, “assessment and feedback”, and “academic support”
• Student retention figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency
• Proportion of former students in employment and further study

Universities were also required to submit a written report which argued how they met the various criteria. This could be used to highlight mitigating factors or other information not captured not by the collected data mentioned above.

Which universities have done well?

As mentioned above, there are some surprising universities which have been awarded gold, alongside the familiar heavyweights like Oxford and Cambridge. Here’s a complete breakdown of the universities rated gold in this year’s Teaching Excellence Framework, with their position in the QS World University Rankings® 2018 alongside it for comparison, along with selected universities ranked silver and bronze.

N/A indicates the university is not included in the QS ranking.

Silver: Universities rated silver include King’s College London, University of Bristol, University of York, University of Manchester, and University of Warwick.

Bronze: Universities rated bronze include LSE, University of Southampton, University of Liverpool, and Goldsmiths.

Wow, that list of gold universities is really different to the QS ranking!

21 of the 46 universities rated gold by the Teaching Excellence Framework don’t feature at all in the QS university rankings. So, who should you believe? This wild disparity largely comes from the different criteria being used to assess universities. While TEF has little interest in a university’s research impact, one of the six criteria used by QS is the number of research citations produced per faculty member at each university. QS also places greater emphasis on the reputation a university has among academics and employers, while TEF is more concerned with feedback from students. Read more about the QS ranking methodology here.

Surely, it’s a good thing to base ratings for universities off what current students think of their teaching?

Well, here’s where the problems with TEF actually start to emerge. While using the opinions of current students seems like a sound way to assess whether teaching quality is high or low, it doesn’t exactly work in practice as it risks rewarding universities and courses where the teaching is less demanding or stressful. There’s also the fact that each student has very little to compare their university experience to – making it difficult for them to objectively tell how good their tutors are.

However, the biggest issue TEF has faced is that many students haven’t welcomed the idea that their positive feedback could give their university permission to increase tuition fees in the future. As a result, many universities had students boycotting the National Student Survey in protest. It’s not clear how the government plans to solve this problem in the future, but it’s likely to cause some unusual results until they do.

So, should I pay any attention to TEF when choosing a university?

The National Union of Students, which organized the boycott of the National Student Survey, have dismissed the TEF as “another meaningless university ranking system which no one asked for” but that doesn’t mean it can’t be useful when choosing a university.

Our recommendation for now would be to read more into a university being rated gold than a traditionally strong university being rated bronze. While the former suggests a university not only provides good-quality teaching but also produces satisfied students, the latter bronze ratings could be impacted by a variety of factors. Even one of the people behind the TEF has said prospective students should only use it in combination with other rankings and information. Just because a university isn’t rated gold, doesn’t mean it’s not a top UK university.