Published 3rd Aug 2023, 16:45 BST

The research, based on the perspectives of 3,500 UK graduates and 3,500 business leaders (business owners, founders, board members, CEOs, directors and senior managers) across the UK, also reveals that 78 per cent of graduates in Yorkshire and the Humber say going to university enabled them to build skills that have proved professionally valuable.

Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, said: “This new research clearly demonstrates the value that graduates benefit from when they go to university in the UK. The benefits captured by this research are numerous – from job security and career ambitions, to earnings and social mobility. They highlight how highly UK universities are regarded not just by those who attend them, but also by those who hire their graduates and benefit from their skills.

“It is clear that Universities play a huge role not only in preparing graduates for employment, but also in teaching them crucial, transferable life skills that will serve them throughout their career."

New data released by Universities UK reveals that 72 per cent of graduates in Yorkshire and the Humber credit going to university with enabling them to find the job they wanted. Photo credit: Chris Ison/PA Wire.

66 per cent of respondents also said that going to university has improved their job security, while 81 per cent said the support they received at university helped them gain employment. 78 per cent of the graduates and 75 per cent of business leaders in Yorkshire and the Humber said that going to university helped to build their self-confidence.

72% of graduates in Yorkshire and the Humber credit attending university with securing their future job