It is this holistic approach that helps set Newcastle's medical school apart. A bid for a further 60 places was set at that level to avoid overstretching the university's 22 partner hospitals, used for student placements. Regional as well as national demands are taken account of here. The quality at Newcastle extends to many other subjects. The last eight teaching assessments have all been rated excellent, covering not only courses in the medical faculty but mathematics, biology, and marine sciences.
Agriculture is top-rated for both teaching and research.
For the first time, Newcastle breaks into the top 20 of our league table, continuing a steady rise from 27th place in our first year of publication. Newcastle narrowly beat competition from Bath, Nottingham, York and Kingston, the only new university nominated this year. All four had excellent teaching scores. Bath, strongest in science and engineering, moved up most places at the top end of the table, from 15th place last year to joint ninth with Nottingham. It had a steady rather than spectacular year following last year's 22-place rise in our league table.