University of Staffordshire has retained its position as the UK’s top destination for Games Design and Development education
The Rookies recognition provides further evidence that we are among the top specialist education providers for games in the world. It showcases the quality of student work produced at Staffordshire Games Institute and our focus on preparing students for careers across the games and creative industries.
In the 2026 Rookies Global School Rankings, Staffordshire Games Institute has been ranked 1st in the UK and 13th globally for Games Design and Development – the third time in four years that it has taken the top national spot in this category.
The University has also risen from 2nd place last year to 1st in the UK, 8th globally, for Concept Art.
The Rookies Global School Rankings are based on student portfolios submitted to the annual Rookie Awards and assessed by professionals working across the creative industries.
This year’s rankings are based on almost 7,000 entries, with more than 38,000 professional assessments from 115 industry judges. Students from more than 100 countries were represented across 12 creative disciplines.
Mike Acosta, Course Manager for BA (Hons) Games Art at Staffordshire Games Institute, said: “It is huge to have retained our Games Design and Development position. As the Rookies is based entirely on student portfolios, there are few measures that really highlight the quality of our teaching better than this. A massive congratulations to the whole of the Staffordshire Games Institute – it’s brilliant to see this recognition.”
Anthony Martin, Course Leader for BA (Hons) Concept Art for Games and Film, added: “I’m incredibly proud to see the Rookies rank our Concept Art course number one in the UK. It reflects the exceptional quality of our students' work, and I would like to thank them for their passion that made this possible."
The Rookies rankings assess student work against criteria including creative ability, technical proficiency, presentation quality, project complexity, range of skills, raw talent and employment potential.
Unlike traditional university rankings, the Rookies focus on the quality of students’ creative work, with schools ranked primarily according to the median performance of their students.
University of Staffordshire is home to the UK’s largest dedicated games education institution, with around 1,800 students across its Stoke-on-Trent and London campuses.
Students studying games and creative courses at the University have opportunities to develop their portfolios through industry-led projects, live briefs, placements and collaboration with professional practitioners.
The Rookies results add to a strong year of recognition for Staffordshire Games Institute, which recently received the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) from Advance HE.
The Institute also won more categories than any other university at the TIGA Games Education Awards 2026. Its successes included Outstanding Graduate of the Year awards for Audio and Programming, Excellence in University-Industry Collaboration and Excellence in Games Research.
Professor Chris Headleand, Head of Staffordshire Games Institute, said: “The Rookies recognition provides further evidence that we are among the top specialist education providers for games in the world. It showcases the quality of student work produced at Staffordshire Games Institute and our focus on preparing students for careers across the games and creative industries. I truly believe that we have the best team, and we produce the best graduates.”
Watch Staffordshire Games Institute’s Rookies Schools Week live stream to discover more about studying with University of Staffordshire. Or visit us at an Open Day – book your place.