CUG The Complete University Guide 2024 | Must-know for Students

• Publisher: The University League Tables, United Kingdom
• Latest ranking publication date: 14 May, 2024
• Publication frequency: Annual
• Geographic focus: UK
• Ranking type: University rankings.
• Year of first publication: 2007
• 129 universities in ranking

The CUG uses 10 criteria to rank UK schools:

• Entry Standards (the average UCAS tariff scores of new undergraduates)
• Student Satisfaction (student views of teaching quality according to the NSS)
• Student-Staff Ratio
• Academic Services (budget per student)
• Facilities Expenditures (budget for staff & facilities per student)
• Research Quality (research that takes place at the university)
• Research Intensity (proportion of staff involved in research)
• Graduate Prospects Outcomes: employment success or further study of graduates after first degree
• Graduate Prospects On Track: proportion of graduates who feel they are on track with their plans for the future
• Continuation (students who continue studying after first year)

Much of the data used in this ranking (almost 69%) is student-related: entry standards, student outcome, and student experience. This represents a vast difference in comparison with the big name global rankings which are often based mostly on academic or research performance and or reputation.

External databases/data providers used

National Student Survey (NSS) 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Criteria Classification

• 18.75% Academic Performance
• 56.25% Teaching/Student Experience/Non-academic output/Student Outcome
• 25% Other (Entry Scores/Spending)

• Research publications and citations
• Academic reputation - survey or other
• Student Survey
• Internationalization (% of foreign staff/students/exchange)
• Employer reputation survey or Salary data

Methodology

https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/sector/insights/university-and-subject-league-tables-methodology

Rating

5.0 / 5.0

Popularity

Google results for: CUG "Complete University Guide": 142000

PROS

• includes student satisfaction data
• includes rankings for more than 70 subjects
• also publishes separate league table for art and performing arts schools

CONS

• academic performance and research success not given much weight

Practical use

As with other rankings, it is important to remember that while the top schools in the list generally do offer a top quality education, there are many other options out there and many other universities can provide top quality opportunities to achieve your goals. The foremost thing is to decide what you want to do and find a place where you can work towards your goals and where you will receive the support you need to get there. Don’t favour general rankings over subject rankings, for within your chosen field a whole other set of universities might have top rankings. Find a location where you can also continue to do the things that are important to you (i.e. spend time in nature, go to the theatre, your favourite sport, see your family on a regular basis…). Do your research. The skills you apply in finding a good fit for you, will be important throughout your career, whatever that may be, and your life as a whole.

Criticism

The main criticism of all the University League Tables, on a general level, stems from how much the results diverge from the global rankings. Where one UK university may come in 15th in a University League ranking, it may be in 20th place in a global ranking with only 4 other UK unis ahead of it. When we look at the methodologies used though the reason becomes self-evident: most global rankings don’t include much (if any) criteria based on student experience while the University League Tables tend to rely quite heavily on it.