Swansea University - 060928_THESshortlist

Swansea retains pole position as Wales’ Best Student Experience

Swansea University has retained its position as the Best Student Experience in Wales in the Times Higher Education Supplement Awards, which were announced on the 15th of November.

In last year's inaugural THES Awards, Swansea beat all 170 other UK institutions to pick up the UK's Best Student Experience Award.

At the Awards dinner at the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane, London, Swansea was the only Welsh university to feature in the Best Student Experience shortlist, which included premier league institutions (in alphabetical order) Cambridge, Leeds, Liverpool, Loughborough, Oxford, St Andrews, Sheffield, Stirling, and Warwick.

The Best Student Experience Award is voted by students, who are polled on facilities, prospects, social life, and course satisfaction at their Universities, and several thousand students took part in this year's survey to find the best place to study in the UK.

The University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard B Davies, said: "We are thrilled that our students have voted us the Best Student Experience in Wales for a second year running. We were in illustrious company in this year's shortlist and to retain our position as the best in Wales is a tremendous indication that we are doing things right at Swansea."

"It is also clear that Swansea’s popularity as a place to live and study is on the rise. This year, we welcomed a record number of new students – more than 2,750 – with more students than ever making Swansea their first choice."

"They are drawn by the University's strong reputation for teaching and world-class research, not to mention the enviable lifestyle Swansea offers. And, of course, we have one of the best university locations in the world. It really isn’t hard to see what sets the Swansea experience apart."

President of Swansea University Students' Union, Owen Morgan, who attended the awards ceremony last night, said: "Swansea was the first University to be awarded the UK’s Best Student Experience and to be named as the best in Wales again this year just goes to show what an unbelievable few years of study you can get here."

"With its excellent location and unforgettable annual events, social societies and sports clubs, studying at Swansea has definitely been one of the best experiences of my life."