We're committed to playing our part to make the world a better place. This includes helping to create an inclusive society where everyone is welcome and protecting and preserving a sustainable environment. Our rankings and awards below reflect this, none of which would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our community. Read on to discover more about what makes us so #BUProud:
League table rankings
Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2024
The THE Impact Rankings measure the work of universities against the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), and BU has ranked joint 39th place out of 2,152 universities measured internationally. We are also 8th in the UK.
Each university receives a score against the UN SDGs to create an overall score, with BU scoring highly in:
- SDG12 Responsible Consumption and Production – BU ranked joint 1st internationally (up from 6th last year) out of 825 participating institutions, recognising BU’s high recycling rates on campus, academic research and waste data reporting
- SDG8 Decent Work and Economic Growth – BU ranked 9th internationally out of 1149 participating institutions, recognising employment practice, student work placements and staff secure contract rate
- SDG15 Life on Land – BU ranked joint 44th out of 741 institutions with research, action to support local land-based ecosystems and policies to support campus biodiversity all highlighted
- SDG17 Partnership for the Goals – BU ranked 101-200 out of 2031 institutions recognising wide-ranging partnerships through research, which support the UNSDGs and BU’s work to embed the SDGs into educational curriculums.
Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings 2024
BU is 95th in the world in the THE Young University Rankings 2024. The rankings measure universities under the age of 50 years old using five indicators; teaching, research volume, research citations, international outlook and industry income.
Other league table rankings:
Our awards
Faculty awards
AACSB
BU’s Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and is one of just 6% of Business Schools accredited worldwide.
National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA)
BU’s Faculty of Media & Communication is home to the NCCA which boasts two Oscar-winners among its alumni. Andy Lockley has received the Best Visual Effects nod three times for his work on Interstellar, Inception and Tenet, while Marc Ardington received the award for his work on the film Ex Machina.
The NCCA is ranked in the top three animation schools in the world (second in Europe and first in the UK) according to Animation Career Review in 2023.
QS World University Rankings
According to the 2023 QS World University Rankings by subject, BU’s Hospitality and Leisure Management programmes rank 19th globally and 2nd in the UK.
Student choice awards
WhatUni Student Choice Awards
- BU was placed ninth in the University of the Year category at the WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2024 and third in the UK in the Postgraduate category
- BU also placed as regional winner in three categories; Postgraduate, International and Student Life
- SUBU (Students’ Union Bournemouth University) scooped first place for the South-West region in the Students’ Union category.
Research and Education
- The Research Excellence Framework (REF) measures the impact of university research. In the latest exercise, 94% of BU’s research was rated as internationally recognised or higher, with 19% ranked as world-leading
- In the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), which measures all undergraduate courses and is awarded at university level, BU has achieved a Silver rating. The rating recognises both student experience and student outcomes and is valid for four years from its awarding in 2023.
Athena SWAN Bronze Award
In May 2019, BU was awarded a Bronze Athena SWAN Award in recognition of our achievements and commitment to improving gender equality in Higher Education.
The Award, which originally covered women working in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM), was expanded in 2015 to recognise work undertaken in both STEMM and Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business and Law (AHSSBL) and to address gender equality more broadly for all academic and professional and support staff as well as students. It was under the new charter that BU has achieved accreditation.
BU’s successful submission for a Bronze Award follows our commitment to strive for a gender-inclusive culture across the university. Our focus is moving from central to local implementation, embedding the SWAN Charter principles in faculties/services and supporting all departments to achieve SWAN awards. Key aims are to enhance the representation of women in senior academic roles, support and encourage a flexible and family-friendly working environment for all staff and ensure gender equality is embedded throughout the university.
The following departments also hold a departmental Athena SWAN Bronze Award: