The University of Huddersfield has been named among the best in the country for its teaching.

The institution is among 59 British universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, to receive a Gold standard award in the national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

Factors such as highly-qualified staff, support for students and fast feedback on work have propelled the University into TEF’s top category.

Prof Bob Cryan, the University of Huddersfield's vice chancellor
Prof Bob Cryan, the University of Huddersfield's vice chancellor

Vice-Chancellor Professor Bob Cryan said he was “delighted” by the news.

He said: “This award confirms that we are among the elite as a teaching institution and it is the result of a lot of hard work and dedication by our staff. I would like to thank and congratulate them all.

“This is great news for the town too – with two Premier League institutions here in Huddersfield!”

New Oastler building at the University of Huddersfield
New Oastler building at the University of Huddersfield

The TEF guidelines were introduced by the government to give guidance to students choosing universities as to where the best tutoring is.

Staff have to meet high standards of teaching, research and working relationships with students to meet the Gold category.

Among its strengths, Huddersfield has a higher proportion of staff holding a teaching qualification than any other higher education institution, making it number one in the country.

It also leads the field for the number of National Teaching Fellowships awarded. Over the past nine years, it has had 14 award winners, more than any other university.

It also boasts “excellent” graduate employment figures and a commitment to relationships with all relevant professional bodies to ensure students get an education which prepares them to take their place in their chosen profession.

A total of 299 universities, colleges and providers of higher education participate in the TEF, which will become compulsory from next year.

This year only 26% of universities achieved gold standard - and just eight of the Russell Group institutions, traditionally considered to be the best in the country, scored the gold rating.

They are: Birmingham, Cambridge, Exeter, Imperial College London, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham and Oxford.
A further 10 were given a silver award (48%).