University's joy at student guide

The University's vice-chancellor Chris Taylor has hailed Bradford as the most socially inclusive in the country after it topped the table published by the Sunday Times.

Bradford University has 49 per cent of students from the social classes C2, D and E, - the highest rate in the country. The university moved up six places to be ranked 50th best in the country in the overall Sunday Times university league table, published this weekend.

And it maintained its position of fifth best university out of ten in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Mr Taylor said: "We are delighted to have been rated the most socially inclusive university in the UK by the Sunday Times University Guide 2005. We are at the forefront nationally for recruiting students from low-income families and outperform the higher education sector on average by 21 per cent.

"Recent data has shown that 49 per cent of full-time first degree entrants at Bradford were from families who do not traditionally access higher education compared with a national average of 28 per cent, and 94 per cent of full-time degree entrants at Bradford were from state schools or colleges."

The ranking table has been compiled by the Sunday Times, scoring universities on seven areas including student-staff ratio, number of first class degrees achieved by students, student's satisfaction and the employment of graduates.

It is put together using information from universities, head teachers and the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Mr Taylor said: "I am very pleased that we have moved up six places in the overall university rankings, 50th this year from 56th in 2004, and have been ranked 28th in the UK for student satisfaction.

"These results come off the back of an excellent year so far for the university. We have climbed upwards in every nationally published university league table and have been ranked number one in the north and number two in the UK for graduate employment."