The cosy conspiracy that has created the current rankings merry go round is built on handing out kudos and credibility while launching new iterations and self-congratulatory events at as many exotic venues as possible. There’s no reason for anyone to bite the hand that feeds them or jeopardize cooperation on the monetization of student interest. Many institutions and academics collaborate with the rankers in public while griping privately about the unwelcome outcomes of higher education marketization.
It leaves a gap in the market for a rankings table that highlights decisions institutions make which seem against the spirit of being focused on academic values, student interest and fairness. Borrowing from Prof Scott Galloway’s thinking of “No Mercy, No Malice” such a table should not be perverse or spiteful in favouring one institution over another but equally should not shirk or be sympathetic when reflecting facts. It needs to be based on public information that is difficult to manipulate or massage and to highlight decision making in areas where students have every right to think that there might be some consistency.
Decision Making Made Easy
It is in this spirit that the first “No Sympathy, No Spite” rankings below focus on English universities to make use of recently and currently available data. The marking criteria allocates a score which penalises universities for not taking action where it would seem to be in the interests of students or where the data provided by an external body suggests it may have questions to answer. Each score reflects the university’s relative position against listed peers but scores are also totalled, with higher scores generally indicating universities that might wish to consider their decision making.
The table highlights which universities have signed or not signed on to the Can’t By My Silence pledge to stop using NDAs to stop students speaking out and also their decisions about involvement with the Universities UK Fair Admissions Code of Practice. While the sector is fond of praising those who do the right thing it seems shy about naming those that will not agree to basic standards which means students struggle to find out which universities are gaming the system or simply refusing to play at all. This ranking makes it clear who has chosen not to support specified courses of action.
Readers will determine for themselves if they agree that institutions should be signing up to fair admissions criteria or agreeing to stop using NDAs to gag students who are subject to sexual harassment and worse. More controversial may be the use of “unexplained” firsts data but the Office for Students is the designated regulating body and their chief executive said, “This spiralling grade inflation risks undermining public confidence in our higher education system.”. The People and Planets data reflects student activism and the voice of an important constituency on a vital issue.
The Office for Students data is only applicable to universities in England and universities that did not have degree awarding powers in 2020/11 have been excluded leaving 107. Further analysis may result in tables for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland where, for example, only Cardiff Metropolitan University has signed onto the Pledge to stop using NDAs for complaints about sexual harassment, bullying and other forms of misconduct. The information is provided in good faith based on the sources quoted and any authoritative amendments will be considered with amendments being made and flagged.
For the avoidance of doubt, a high score in the NDA Pledge and UUK Fair Admissions Code categories means the university has not signed up to either. A high score in the People and Planet category means the university is ranked poorly for environmental and ethical performance. The score in the Unexplained first-class degree is simply a function of the number of graduates and percentage of unexplained first-class degrees in 2020-21.
| Provider name | Unexplained first-class degrees* | NDA Pledge** | UUK Fair Admissions Code*** | People and Planet**** | Total |
| Coventry University | 12.2 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 25.2 |
| University of Birmingham | 11.2 | 7 | * | 5 | 23.2 |
| Liverpool John Moores Uni | 8.6 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 22.6 |
| University of Leeds | 13.2 | 7 | * | 2 | 22.2 |
| Staffordshire University | 6.1 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 22.1 |
| Birmingham City University | 7.4 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 21.4 |
| University of Portsmouth | 11.3 | 7 | * | 3 | 21.3 |
| University of East London | 5.3 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 21.3 |
| Manchester Metropolitan Uni | 20.1 | * | * | 1 | 21.1 |
| Kingston University | 5.7 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 20.7 |
| University of Salford | 12.3 | 7 | * | 1 | 20.3 |
| Leeds Beckett University | 10.2 | 7 | * | 3 | 20.2 |
| Roehampton University | 3.0 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 20.0 |
| Queen Mary University of London | 11.0 | 7 | * | 2 | 20.0 |
| Goldsmiths’ College | 3.6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 19.6 |
| University of Northampton | 4.0 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 19.0 |
| University of Wolverhampton | 7.7 | 7 | * | 4 | 18.7 |
| Anglia Ruskin Uni HE Corp | 9.7 | 7 | * | 2 | 18.7 |
| De Montfort University | 10.7 | 7 | * | 1 | 18.7 |
| University of St Mark & St John | 1.2 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 18.2 |
| Norwich University of the Arts | 1.0 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 18.0 |
| University College Birmingham | 0.9 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 17.9 |
| Liverpool Hope University | 1.9 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 17.9 |
| The University of Huddersfield | 8.1 | 7 | * | 2 | 17.1 |
| University of Sussex | 6.1 | 7 | * | 4 | 17.1 |
| The University of Essex | 7.0 | 7 | * | 3 | 17.0 |
| Royal Central School of Speech and Drama | 0.5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 16.5 |
| University of Lincoln | 6.5 | 7 | * | 3 | 16.5 |
| Sheffield Hallam University | 14.3 | * | * | 2 | 16.3 |
| University of Brighton | 7.2 | 7 | * | 2 | 16.2 |
| University of Central Lancashire | 7.2 | 7 | * | 2 | 16.2 |
| University of Chester | 5.2 | 7 | * | 4 | 16.2 |
| University of Sunderland | 4.0 | 7 | * | 5 | 16.0 |
| University of Derby | 6.7 | 7 | * | 2 | 15.7 |
| The University of Buckingham | 0.6 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 15.6 |
| The University of Bradford | 6.1 | 7 | * | 2 | 15.1 |
| University of Hertfordshire | 11.0 | * | * | 4 | 15.0 |
| The University of Hull | 5.9 | 7 | * | 2 | 14.9 |
| University for the Creative Arts | 3.9 | 7 | * | 4 | 14.9 |
| The University of West London | 5.8 | 7 | * | 2 | 14.8 |
| University of Oxford | 1.7 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 14.7 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science | 1.7 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 14.7 |
| The University of Surrey | 4.6 | 7 | * | 3 | 14.6 |
| King’s College London | 6.4 | 7 | * | 1 | 14.4 |
| The University of Bolton | 2.4 | 7 | * | 5 | 14.4 |
| York St John University | 3.3 | 7 | * | 4 | 14.3 |
| Oxford Brookes University | 4.0 | 7 | * | 3 | 14.0 |
| Brunel University London | 3.8 | 7 | * | 3 | 13.8 |
| St Mary’s University, Twickenham | 1.8 | 7 | * | 5 | 13.8 |
| The University of Cumbria | 2.3 | 7 | * | 4 | 13.3 |
| St. George’s Hospital Med School | 1.1 | 7 | * | 5 | 13.1 |
| The University of Manchester | 10.0 | * | * | 3 | 13.0 |
| University of the Arts, London | 5.0 | 7 | * | 1 | 13.0 |
| University of Gloucestershire | 2.9 | 7 | * | 3 | 12.9 |
| University of Cambridge | 2.9 | 7 | * | 3 | 12.9 |
| Bishop Grosseteste University | 0.8 | 7 | * | 5 | 12.8 |
| University of Durham | 5.7 | * | 5 | 2 | 12.7 |
| Imperial College | 2.7 | 7 | * | 3 | 12.7 |
| Falmouth University | 1.6 | 7 | * | 4 | 12.6 |
| Nottingham Trent University | 4.6 | 7 | * | 1 | 12.6 |
| City, University of London | 4.5 | 7 | * | 1 | 12.5 |
| The University of Bath | 2.4 | 7 | * | 3 | 12.4 |
| The Royal Agricultural University | 0.2 | 7 | * | 5 | 12.2 |
| The University of Westminster | 4.1 | * | 5 | 3 | 12.1 |
| Bournemouth University | 4.0 | 7 | * | 1 | 12.0 |
| Newman University | 0.5 | 7 | * | 4 | 11.5 |
| Uni of Northumbria at Newcastle | 10.4 | * | * | 1 | 11.4 |
| University of Nottingham | 9.4 | * | * | 2 | 11.4 |
| Harper Adams University | 0.2 | 7 | * | 4 | 11.2 |
| The Royal Veterinary College | 0.1 | 7 | * | 4 | 11.1 |
| Arts University Bournemouth | 1.0 | 7 | * | 3 | 11.0 |
| London Metropolitan University | 3.5 | * | 5 | 2 | 10.5 |
| Royal Northern College of Music | 0.3 | * | 5 | 5 | 10.3 |
| London South Bank University | 5.1 | * | * | 5 | 10.1 |
| University of Bedfordshire | 1.9 | 7 | * | 1 | 9.9 |
| Uni of the West of England, Bristol | 8.7 | * | * | 1 | 9.7 |
| University of Southampton | 5.6 | * | * | 4 | 9.6 |
| Royal Holloway | 5.4 | * | * | 4 | 9.4 |
| The University of Kent | 7.4 | * | * | 2 | 9.4 |
| The University of Liverpool | 7.3 | * | * | 2 | 9.3 |
| The University of East Anglia | 7.1 | * | * | 2 | 9.1 |
| Edge Hill University | 6.1 | * | * | 3 | 9.1 |
| University College London | 8.0 | * | * | 1 | 9.0 |
| Middlesex University | 7.8 | * | * | 1 | 8.8 |
| Teesside University | 5.6 | * | * | 3 | 8.6 |
| The University of Sheffield | 5.5 | * | * | 3 | 8.5 |
| University of Greenwich | 7.2 | * | * | 1 | 8.2 |
| University of Exeter | 7.2 | * | * | 1 | 8.2 |
| University of Plymouth | 7.0 | * | * | 1 | 8.0 |
| The University of Leicester | 5.9 | * | * | 2 | 7.9 |
| Canterbury Christ Church Uni | 4.6 | * | * | 3 | 7.6 |
| The University of Lancaster | 4.4 | * | * | 3 | 7.4 |
| Solent University, Southampton | 4.4 | * | * | 3 | 7.4 |
| University of Newcastle upon Tyne | 6.1 | * | * | 1 | 7.1 |
| The University of Warwick | 4.3 | * | * | 2 | 6.3 |
| University of York | 3.3 | * | * | 3 | 6.3 |
| University of Bristol | 5.2 | * | * | 1 | 6.2 |
| Aston University | 5.2 | * | * | 1 | 6.2 |
| Loughborough University | 2.6 | * | * | 3 | 5.6 |
| The University of Chichester | 1.6 | * | * | 4 | 5.6 |
| The University of Reading | 4.6 | * | * | 1 | 5.6 |
| Leeds Trinity University | 1.4 | * | * | 4 | 5.4 |
| University of Keele | 4.2 | * | * | 1 | 5.2 |
| Buckinghamshire New University | 1.6 | * | * | 3 | 4.6 |
| Bath Spa University | 2.3 | * | * | 2 | 4.3 |
| University of Worcester | 2.1 | * | * | 1 | 3.1 |
| University of Winchester | 1.0 | * | * | 1 | 2.0 |
Scoring Criteria/Method
- Unexplained First Class Degrees
- This issue affects more students in larger universities so the number of graduates in 2020-21 is multiplied by the percentage of “unexplained first class degrees” in that year to show the number potentially affected. That sum is then divided by 100 to ensure the overall score is not wholly distorted by this category. The full analysis by the Office for Students is available.
- Not Signed NDA Pledge
- The list of English university signatories on the Can’t Buy My Silence site was reviewed over the weekend of 14/15 May 2022. Universities that have signed the pledge score 0 (signified by an asterisk) while universities that have not signed receive 7 points.
- UUK Fair Admissions Code
- The list of signatories shown on the Universities UK Fair Admissions Code of Practice site was reviewed over the weekend of 14/15 May 2022. Universities that have signed the pledge score 0 (signified by an asterisk) while universities that have not signed receive 5 points.
- People and Planet
- The People and Planet University League ranks institutions in one of five classes – from First Class for the best, via 2:1, 2:2 and 3rd, to Failed. First class universities score one point with each succeeding category scoring one more through to Failed universities scoring 5. The People and Planet website gives extensive information on the methodology used.
Any comments, corrections or thoughts for development are welcome.
Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay