“Student support runs through the institution like a stick of rock”.

Buckinghamshire New University has been named as University of the Year for student support in the Daily Mail University Guide, the first new university guide in Britain in the past 15 years. BNU also performed strongly across several key areas:

• Teaching excellence: 5^th in UK and 1^st in London & South-East 
• Student support: 6^th in UK and 1^st in South East (2^nd London & South-East)
• Student experience: 19^th in UK and 3^rd in London & South East (2^nd in South-East)
• Graduate salaries: top quartile in UK (31^st) and 5^th in South-East 
• Highly skilled jobs: 16^th in South-East
• First generation students: Joint 2^nd in South-East and 5^th in London & South-East

The Daily Mail University Guide features a new ranking for British universities, combining several aspects of university performance. It includes data on graduate destinations from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, outcomes from the National Student Survey, results from the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, and performance on student retention.

Alastair McCall, Editor, Daily Mail University Guide, said:

“Buckinghamshire New University provides high levels of effective academic and pastoral support for its students, reflected in its excellent scores in this summer’s National Student Survey, where students praised the staff for supporting their learning and for the quality of communications about the mental health support available. Student support runs through the institution like a stick of rock and BNU was the standout candidate for the Daily Mail University of the Year for Student Support award.” 

As the inaugural winner of the Guide’s University of the Year for Student Support Award, the University is praised for its practical hands-on financial support provided throughout the cost-of-living crisis including freezing student accommodation prices, cutting 30% from the cost of on-campus food, keeping the university library open and warm day and night throughout the Christmas vacation, and its generous bursary provision for students from low income backgrounds.”

Professor Nick Braisby, Vice-Chancellor of BNU said: “I can think of no more fitting accolade than being awarded University of the Year for Student Support. This fantastic achievement, along with our leading performance in the rankings for teaching excellence and student experience, is testament to students always coming first at BNU. Colleagues work tirelessly at BNU to ensure our students thrive in their studies and are supported in all aspects of university life. And so we take great collective pride in this recognition for doing the right thing by our students.

A key ingredient of our success is our partnership with Bucks Students' Union with whom we work to deliver the best student experience.”

The Daily Mail University Guide was published in print in the Mail on Sunday on 10 September and is also available online.