Southampton Engineering is ranked top in the UK for its research intensity

Engineering at Southampton has been ranked first or first-equal for research intensity in four of its engineering subject areas in the Complete University Guide, 2021.

The recently released subject rankings show that the University’s aeronautics and astronautics, mechanical engineering, audiology, and civil and environmental engineering all came out top for the proportion of their staff involved in research. The four subject areas are classified under Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering, Aural and Oral Sciences, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering in the 2021 subject rankings.

All four subjects were also ranked in the UK’s top ten overall – the third year in a row they have achieved this rating.

Overall rankings in the Complete University Guide are calculated from entry standards, student satisfaction, research excellence and intensity, graduate prospects, student-staff ratio, university spending on services and facilities, graduates receiving a first or upper second class honours degree, and degree completion.

Professor David Richards, Head of Engineering, welcomed the results. He said: “This is a superb testament to the strength and depth of engineering excellence at Southampton. This sustained excellence places all of our discipline programmes in the top ten nationally and highlights the importance of education in an environment where new knowledge is constantly being created.”

The University is placed 17th overall out of 130 universities listed in the Guide’s annual league table - a rise of three places making it the highest climber of any university within the top 20 this year.

As a nationally-relevant, world-leading university, Southampton will continue to press forward thanks to the dedication of our staff and students who I want to thank for keeping us amongst the top echelons of UK universities.

University of Southampton President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark E Smith, says: “With all the uncertainty around at the moment it is really pleasing to see this very positive move in the latest Complete University Guide rankings, with the University of Southampton back inside the top 20 overall which very much reflects our emphasis on quality, be it teaching or research. It confirms that students receive a very high quality education here.