Essex is one of the best for ‘value-added’ in the Guardian University Guide

Essex is among the very best universities for ‘value-added’ according to the Guardian University Guide and in the top 10 for four subjects – Anatomy and Physiology; Creative Writing; Drama and Dance; and Economics.

The University of Essex is 30th overall in the influential guide and fourth in the UK – 2nd in England – for the 'value-added' score in the Guardian University Guide.

The 'value-added' score compares degree results of students with entry qualification to show the progress they make and how effectively they are taught.

Other strengths include spend per student where Essex is 18th in the UK – this covers the money spent on each student, excluding academic staff costs.

The University of Essex is in the top 10 in the UK for:

• Anatomy and Physiology (10th)
• Creative Writing (7th)
• Drama and Dance (4th)
• Economics (7th)

Subjects in the top 30 in the UK include:

• Biology (23rd)
• Hospitality, Event Management and Tourism (17th)
• International Relations (16th)
• Mathematics (13th)
• Mental Health Nursing (22nd)
• Philosophy (28th)
• Physiotherapy (24th)
• Politics (27th)
• Psychology (28th)
• Social Work (27th)
• Sports Science (27th)

The ranking comes after Essex was also named in the top 30 for overall student positivity when compared against all English broad discipline and top in East Anglia by Times Higher Education’s analysis of student feedback in the National Student Survey 2023.

The strength of support for students has been underlined by shortlistings in this year’s Times Higher Education Awards in four key categories including the Most Innovative Teacher and Outstanding Support for Students categories. Essex Startups team was also highly commended this month at the National Enterprise Educator Awards for our support for entrepreneurs. 

It has been a summer of awards success including international awards for Professor Anna Sergi from our Department of Sociology and Professor Riccardo Poli from the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering with Professor Lydia Morris from the Department of Sociology also receiving this year’s prestigious Peter Townsend Prize from the British Academy.

See the Guardian University Guide in full