Harper Adams University, near Newport, is one of the highest climbers in the Complete University Guide national
league table - jumping from 48th to 27th place.
The
league table, which provides a source of information to prospective students, is largely based on student experience of their course, teaching and feedback, among other measures.
But not everybody is convinced by the rapid growth of
league tables (whose origins date back to the early 2000s) and their impact on university output.
The DfE first removed a select few IGCSEs from the
league tables last year, leading to one private elite school in Birmingham labelling the system a "shambles".
Mr Dunn did however recognise that the university continues to lag behind in international
league tables.
Durham University has retained its top-five rank in a UK-wide higher education
league table.
The IBS Sales
League Table is an annual ranking of core back office systems sales that comprises over 30 of the leading Islamic banking system suppliers in addition to other pure conventional players.
It makes a complete mockery of the
league tables. They might as well not exist."
But the email showed that Jobcentre staff in Walthamstow, North East London, faced disciplinary action if they did not rise up the
league table. The Department for Work and Pensions said "if a manager has set a local target for applying sanctions this is against our policy".
Mr Andrews denied that the new banding scheme, based on 12 measures of relative performance, was school
league tables by another name.
Responding to the organisation's Omnibus survey, 32% said no and 14% said they didn't know whether a return to
league tables was a good thing.
The ranking is the highest Durham has been awarded in the guide's history and follows recent success in other
league tables.