University College Birmingham wins student choice awards for the second year

University College Birmingham has once again come out top at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA), the only awards in the UK based solely on student votes.

The University not only won the International award at the WUSCAs, but won silver in the hotly-contested University of the Year category, which we won overall in 2022 along with Student Support. 

In fact, the top three institutions up for University of the Year were so close – by less than one point - awards organisers introduced a gold, silver and bronze ranking for the first time in the awards history.

This means we are the highest ranking university in Birmingham and the West Midlands, according to student choice. We also came second in three other categories - Student Support, Facilities and Career Prospects. 

An ecstatic team from across the University's departments was presented with the awards at a glittering ceremony hosted by comedian Ellie Taylor at the Brewery, London. The awards are unique in the sector in that they are based solely on student choice and recognise higher education providers for their efforts to meet and exceed student expectations. 

Winning the International award reflects a diverse university community and a growing overseas cohort.

Glowing reviews from international students included: "Diverse and inclusive. As an international student you don't really feel as an outsider and fit right in from day one. The teaching programme, modules and the teachers are excellent and effective." 

Alice Wilby, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Access, Participation and Student Experience), said: “It’s an honour to have won the International award, which perfectly demonstrates the University’s dedication to providing an inclusive, welcoming experience for our international students.

"With our international student population growing year on year, the whole institution has been unwavering in its support for our international students.”

One student review said: "I would definitely recommend University College Birmingham to anyone looking for a top quality university. The academics are top notch, and the facilities are great. The campus is in a great location and there is plenty to do on campus. The staff are really friendly and help you to settle in quickly."

Each year, the WUSCA team receives approximately 35,000 verified reviews from on-campus visits across the country and online submissions via the whatuni.com website.  

Crucially, the awards are based on reviews from real students throughout the country, providing honest and unbiased information to help future learners and their families make the right choices about their future.

Not only did University College Birmingham win International and silver in the University of the Year categories, the University was also shortlisted for Student Support, Student Life, Career Prospects, Lecturers and Teaching Quality, Facilities, Postgraduate and Halls and Student Accommodation categories (see below).

Simon Emmett, CEO at IDP Connect, said: "The Whatuni awards celebrate creativity, resilience and innovation within higher education. With the continuing cost-of-living challenges, we're proud to focus on all the good universities do and celebrate their successes.

"Congratulations go to the winners, alongside a huge ‘well done’ to all our shortlisted institutions and the sector as a whole. This year's scores are significantly higher than previous years, highlighting the excellent work done across the sector. I hope the awards highlight the quality of education and students' experiences across our wide and varied sector.

"Each of our winners and finalists has gone above and beyond to positively impact students' university experiences. These awards showcase the quality of higher education in the UK and its creativity, resilience and innovation."

University College Birmingham, an official partner of the University of Warwick to open up more opportunities for students in the region, offers a whole range of university and college level courses covering a broad range of subjects, from business, nursing, finance and accounting to aesthetics, aviation, sport and culinary arts.  

The University has also introduced new curriculum areas, including engineering and construction, and highly-relevant digital fields such as cyber security, with further investment in buildings and equipment. 

You can read University College Birmingham’s Whatuni profile here.