Sheffield leads region in university table as Cambridge sent down

However Cambridge University’s two-year run as the best institution worldwide has come to an end as it slipped down to second place behind the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the annual QS World University Rankings.

Also included in the top spots are University College London in fourth place, Oxford in fifth, and Imperial College London in sixth.

The other universities in the top 10 were all institutions in the United States.

In total, eight UK universities were in the top 50, and 18 overall in the top 100. Sheffield University has risen six places to 66th in the world. Leeds University was also ranked in the top 100, in 94th place.

The table also shows that universities are taking on more international students than before.

The top 100 universities have almost 10 per cent more overseas students on average this year, compared to 2011. The 49 UK universities in the top 500 list have seen an 11.7 per cent average increase in international students, compared to the previous year.

Sheffield University’s vice chancellor Professor Keith Burnett said: “Being named top in the region by the QS World University Rankings is a fantastic accolade for the university, and one that is very well deserved.

“Not only has the university been named top in Yorkshire but we have also seen a rise in our world ranking out of more than 2,500 institutions, highlighting our exceptional reputation both at home and overseas.”