University of Staffordshire has recorded its best-ever performance in the Guardian University Guide, rising to 34th place.

It caps a year in which the University has also been named Daily Mail Modern University of the Year 2027, won University of the Year at the Academic Employability Awards, and posted record results in the National Student Survey and graduate employment data.

The University has risen 48 places, from 82nd to 34th, surpassing its previous best position of 37th in the 2020 Guardian University Guide.

The University is also ranked in the top 10 in a number of individual metrics; ranking joint 10th for Satisfaction of Teaching, 7th for Satisfaction of Assessment & Feedback and joint 4th for Value Added.

At subject level, the University is now ranked in 26 subjects, with six placed in the top 10: Sports Science (4th), Mental Health Nursing (6th), Film Production and Photography (7th), Paramedic Science (7th), Education (9th), and Fashion and Textiles (9th).

Professor Philip Plowden, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of University of Staffordshire, said: “This has been an exceptional year for our University, and this result is the clearest evidence yet of what we’re building.

“To rise 48 places in the Guardian table, on top of being named Modern University of the Year, University of the Year for employability, and recording our best-ever National Student Survey and graduate outcomes results, tells you this isn’t a one-off. It’s momentum.

“Every one of these results points to the same thing: students choosing Staffordshire are getting a genuinely excellent experience and real outcomes to show for it. I want to thank our staff and students for driving this progress, and we intend to keep climbing.”

The Guardian result follows a string of national accolades for the University this year:

• Modern University of the Year 2027 (Daily Mail University Guide) — recognising Staffordshire's sustained rise up the rankings, new £100m Student Village, and its focus on graduate outcomes and student experience.
• University of the Year, Academic Employability Awards 2026 (Graduate Futures Institute) — for its sector-leading approach to embedding employability across the curriculum.
• 7th in the UK for overall student positivity in the National Student Survey 2026, with the University outperforming the sector average across all seven NSS themes.
• Graduates outperforming the sector in the latest HESA Graduate Outcomes data, with 88.8% of graduates in work or further study within 15 months, against a sector average of 86.8%.