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Students rate Bradford's International Office Number 1

Press Release - 17 February 2006

Students from around the globe have rated the University of Bradford's International Office the best according to an independent educational research group.

The International Student Barometer, which measures international student satisfaction under the areas Learning, Living and Student Support, was recently published by i-Graduate.org - an independent research service specialising in the international education market.

The University's International Office was rated number one out of 25 participating higher education institutions (HEIs) from the UK, Australia, the USA, continental Europe and South Africa, beating strong competition from prestige UK universities such as Cambridge, Durham and Nottingham.

Students also rated Bradford highly for degrees that would help them get a good job - reinforcing the University's renowned graduate employment track record. There were also good scores for cost of living, for which Bradford came out number one in the UK and number two globally, and its Counselling Service was rated as second best in both the UK and globally.

This is the International Office's second success in this ranking, after it achieved the highest satisfaction rating in a pilot study in 2005 across a benchmark group of six universities.

Dr Haydn Bartlett, Director of the University of Bradford's International Office, said: "I am delighted at this excellent news. To achieve the highest satisfaction rating for the second time, and amongst a group of prestige universities, is indeed a true testament to the quality of services staff in the International Office provide.

"This is also great news for any prospective international students thinking about coming to Bradford. The University enrols students from over 100 different countries and currently around 22 per cent of all of Bradford's students are from outside the UK."

The University of Bradford joined the pilot wave of the International Student Barometer in April 2005. Now over 25 institutions worldwide have adopted the Barometer as a risk management tool, using it to keep a finger on the pulse of international student opinion and as a comparative measure of service delivery and satisfaction.

William Archer, Director of the International Graduate Insight Group, said: "I am pleased to report that the University of Bradford's International Office has, for the second time, achieved the highest satisfaction rating across the benchmark group.

"This is appropriate recognition for an office that is more international in its staffing than any other I have encountered in the UK, actively engaging with students from first enquiry to post-graduation."

Notes to Editors

• More details about I-Graduate’s International Student Barometer (word doc, will open in a new window)

17 February 2006