The University of Manchester has been named the University of the Year for Graduate Employment by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.
The guide, published on Sunday, 22 September, ranks every UK university on a several different categories. As well as the employment award, the University has seen its overall ranking increase from 19th to 18th place.
Alastair McCall, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said of Manchester graduates: “They topped this year's Graduate Market 2019 report by High Fliers Research, which showed that among the top 100 graduate employers, it was Manchester students that ticked most boxes.”
Particular praise was directed at the University’s Stellify programme, which embeds “ethical grand challenges into degree programmes”, and “helps ensure that Manchester students do not emerge blinking into the light from their ivory tower, but hit the ground running with employers regionally, nationally and internationally."
Alastair added; “[Manchester] students leave with degrees from a world-class institution having benefited from a curriculum that is tailored to both academic excellence and providing students with the skills that make them immediately useful in the workplace.”
In response, President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, added: “I’m delighted with this award and would like to thank all our staff and students for their hard work in helping us achieve it. This is a great recognition of our excellent track record for graduate employability.
“This latest achievement is a testament to the huge effort our staff put into helping our students thrive and succeed once they graduate and enter the world of work. It also, of course, demonstrates the excellent calibre and work ethic of our students.”
Tammy Goldfeld, Head of Careers and Employability at the University, also praised the work of the Careers Service which offers tailored advice and support for students, as well as excellent links with an international network of alumni.
She said: “We are very proud to have been named University of the Year for Graduate Employment, as well as the most targeted university by the UK’s top employers. These distinctions demonstrate The University of Manchester’s strategic commitment to improving students’ employability through a wide range of innovative careers services.”
These also include high quality academic programmes, wide access to placements and internships during degrees, and the number of extracurricular opportunities students have to develop their employment skills.
The award from the Good University Guide is vindicated in a separate set of employability rankings from QS, which lists more than 1,000 universities globally. The University of Manchester was in the top ten UK universities for overall graduate employability, alumni outcomes, employer reputations and partnerships with employers.
