University of Bolton ?

^this is your only post? obviously a member of University's staff.

It's a regional university, so it's something comparable to a "commuter college" in the U.S. That right there guarantees graduation rates will be much lower than a destination college.

Secondly, we're talking about the U.K. and Europe here. The University of Bolton is only 33 years old. That's it. So it's virtually impossible for it to climb above any older university in the rankings (meaning: pretty much any other university in the Kingdom) without being something miraculous.

U. of Bolton is an excellent research institution for its size. In terms of graduate studies, especially at the Ph.D. level, what it offers is of premium caliber. I chose to pursue my doctorate through their Ph.D. by Practice program and couldn't be happier.

Don't let the rankings fool you; much of that has to do with the fact that they're a young institution, and that they insist on facilitating primarily the Manchester region. (Some 70% of their student body is from the city.)

Yeah I'd agree with that, although my post is 4 years old so I'm having to refamiliarise myself with this lmao.

The only thing I'd say is that there are actually younger universities higher up in the league tables. At the moment I work at Aston University, a regional university / 'commuter college' founded 1895 and with a much better reputation than Bolton.

Also you've got the most obvious one, Warwick, founded in the 60s and with an excellent reputation beating a lot of the redbricks including my local one and the one I graduated from.

So age and 'uni of versus ex poly' is becoming less and less relevant.

But yes you are right - league tables only show a limited picture and as a result universities like Bolton are probably underrated by a lot of people.

Hey, thanks for the reply...even if it did take you back four years.

I don't work or live in the U.K. So, you'd probably know more than me. But I would like to point out that the two universities you reference, while young, are much older than the University of Bolton. As I stated, the University of Bolton was founded in 1982. That means it's literally had 33 graduating classes. That's it. And that seems VERY young to me.

However, I'd be biased if I tried any harder to defend Bolton, as I'm a graduate student at the school (distance). But I do feel it's unfairly ridiculed at times. And, again, I do think it's developing into an honorable research institute. Those are my two cents.

Thanks much for your reply and your insight.

I agree it probably is unfairly ridiculed. I know you said you don't work or live in the UK but I think part of it is to do with Bolton as a place - it is often ridiculed a bit like how Blackpool is. (or New Jersey as opposed to New York in the states? I could be wrong but that seems like a sort of comparison). For that reason people might unfairly overlook it.