Loughborough has been named University of the Year for Sport for the second time by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017

Loughborough has been named University of the Year for Sport for the second time by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017.

Loughborough has won the prestigious title in honour of its unparalleled role in the triumph of the British Olympic and Paralympic teams in Rio.

University-linked athletes brought back 42 medals from Rio, and if Loughborough had been a country at the Games it would have ranked in the world top 20.

The University has also risen to 11th place, out of 123 UK universities, in the Guide’s annual rankings and was shortlisted for University of the Year – Loughborough has now made the shortlist more times than any other university. It is top in the region in all three national rankings.

Alastair McCall, editor of The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said:

“Where would we be without Loughborough and its outstanding athletes and training facilities. There is no university facility like it this side of the Atlantic.

“The breadth and quality of its sports provision helps make what happened in Rio this summer a probability and not just a possibility. After such a stellar summer, Loughborough really did leave all its rivals for Sports University of the Year in their blocks.

“A further shortlisting for our wider University of the Year title shows the institution is not just about sport, however. Academic excellence, highly-rated teaching and an all-round great student experience make Loughborough one of the top picks for students every year when it comes to university applications.”

Speaking about the University of the Year for Sport title John Steele, Executive Director of Sport at Loughborough University, said:

“At Loughborough we are immensely proud of our ability to offer a first class education combined with a unique sporting offer. Regardless of ability we provide a sporting experience that is aimed at enjoyment and reaching personal potential. We are particularly proud of the part we played in the recent successes of GB athletes in Rio.

“To be named University of the Year for Sport makes us even more determined to continue to shape and improve Loughborough’s sporting excellence.”

University Vice Chancellor Professor Robert Allison added:

“It is good to see Loughborough’s vital role in the Olympics and Paralympics recognised. We are incredibly proud of our sporting heritage. Our sporting ethos lies at the very heart of the University and has helped create an environment that motivates everyone to be the very best they can be.”

View the press release on the Loughborough University website for further information and resources.

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2020 QS World University Rankings and top in the country for its student experience in the 2018 THE Student Experience Survey.

Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 4th in the Guardian University League Table 2020, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and 8th in The UK Complete University Guide 2020.

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

Specialising exclusively in postgraduate-level study, Loughborough University London is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers cutting-edge master’s and PhD degrees, as well as business collaboration, research and enterprise opportunities.

The seven specialist institutes at Loughborough University London include: Design Innovation, Digital Technologies, Diplomacy and International Governance, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, International Management, Media and Creative Industries, and Sport Business. Close industry partnerships with a wealth of leading businesses and creative organisations means teaching and learning is informed by real-life challenges and driven by true industry pressures.