THE University of South Wales (USW) has been ranked lowest in Wales according to a national newspaper's university guide, published today.

Cardiff has been named the top university in Wales according to The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2015, ranking 27th nationally, followed by Swansea (43rd); Bangor (50th); Cardiff Metropolitan (90th); Aberystwyth (93rd); Glyndwr University in Wrexham (113th) and the University of South Wales (114th).

The rankings measure student satisfaction, research quality, graduate prospects, entrance qualifications, degree results, student to staff ratios, services and facilities spending and dropout rates.

USW was created last year from a merger between the University of Wales, Newport, and Glamorgan University so does not have a previous ranking in the table.

Among the seven Welsh universities USW did not have the lowest facilities spend per student, which went to Aberystwyth University, nor did it have the lowest student satisfaction rating, which went to Glyndwr.

Cardiff's facilities spend per student was £1,442, compared to £1,313 for USW and £1,167 for Aberystwyth.

USW's student satisfaction rating was 77, compared to 76.9 for Glyndwr and 85.4 for Bangor which had the highest of the Welsh universities in the table.

USW also did not have the lowest percentage of graduates in professional jobs or graduate-level study, which went to Aberystwyth University with 52.8 per cent. In comparison USW achieved 55.4 per cent while the highest of the Welsh universities was Cardiff with 81.7 per cent.

Cardiff has always ranked top in Wales over all the years of publication of the newspaper's guide and is the only member of the Russell Group of research-led universities in Wales.

Meanwhile this year Swansea regained its place in the top 50. Across the UK the University of Cambridge was top of the table.

A spokesman for the University of South Wales said, “This is the first year that the University of South Wales has entered league tables following the merger process and in a period of substantial change and restructuring. We will be taking this year’s league tables results as a benchmark position, and as the University builds on its areas of distinctiveness and expertise, reconfiguring its estate to meet the needs of its students, we expect to see our position rise in the league tables.

"However, it is important to note that University league tables are just one indicator of the success of a University, and the criteria used by each league table provider differ greatly. The strengths of newer universities, particularly those with a more vocational focus, are traditionally undervalued by such tables.”