University rankings

Apart from anything else, a number of graduates pick there to do their masters rather than stay where they are. Another thing to consider is that despite being so far from most applicants' homes, they can still attract the best. I also have immediate family there. I could have picked other places not featuring highly or at all in your preferred measure of "smartest".

Now, this league table you're advocating.....other than being helpful for undergrads who've no idea what they want to end up doing for a living, and apart from the freebies that are dished out, what else do Uni applicants benefit from, knowing that lots of employers go and advertise their existence at these Uni's?

Never heard of anyone who wanted to complete their masters in Finance or MBA at St Andrew and these two are the most sought out post-graduate degrees. Still, I don't see anything special about St Andrews, I'd rather go to study at Bristol, Bath, Exeter or London Unis

Another way to choose a university is to look at REF rankings https://www.timeshighereducation.com/sites/default/files/Attachments/2014/12/17/g/o/l/sub-14-01.pdf here is another break down of each department https://www.ref.ac.uk/2014/media/ref/content/pub/REF%2001%202014%20-%20full%20document.pdf

Why would people use data from 2014 about research when picking an undergraduate course? That's no more informative IMO than your Highfliers league table.
When people choose their options, there should be loads of 'data' going in and that data is going to be different with different weightings. One person's Oxford is another person's nightmare, and London is great for some people and not remotely in contention for others.
Rankings do have a role, but only those that measure stuff that's relevant to applicants. None of your suggestions appear to be. That's just my opinion. I know you disagree but I think it's hard to make a case for your tables.

Because those people who conducted the research between 2008-2014 are still teaching at those universities and still going to teach until new rankings in 2021

Where did you get that information from?

you can find it on REF website

Sorry, I don't have time to go searching for info about whether employees are at the same Uni's more than a decade later and frankly will assume many aren't. I don't think OP is benefiting from our exchange of opinions either, and I doubt anyone is! I can only conclude that I don't agree with your view that future undergrads would benefit from your rankings and ratings systems. Cheers.

I couldn't care less what you agree on or disagree, you lack common sense, some lectures teach for 20-30 years at universities well you would know that if you went to one

I'm sorry, but it's hardy 'common sense' to infer some connection between the quality of UG teaching delivery based on REF data from 10 years ago.

I think you should rank them yourself.
Russel group > Non Russel group
Oxford and Cambridge best in UK and maybe world
Maybe if a Russel group University is local that could be important for you.
Other factors you should think of could be location: countryside or city.
Looking purely at entry tarrif is not always the best way unless there’s a huge gap because people can do 5 a levels and do poorly but get more UCAS points than someone who did great in three A levels

Bath is better than 75% of Russel group universities. Russel group is just a group that was created in the 90s to push for funding from government back then

I wouldn’t say 75%. Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Imperial, LSE, Durham, St Andrews are better

Ref rankings 2008 (GPA) Business
1 London Business School (3.35)
2 Imperial (3.2)
3 Cambridge (3.05)
4 Cardiff (3)
5 Bath (2.95)
Ref Rankings 2014 (GPA) Business
1 LSE (3.46)
2 Cambridge (3.44)
3 Imperial (3.4)
4 Oxford (3.36)
5 LBS (3.29)
6 Cardiff (3.28)
7 City (3.23)
8 Bath (3.2)

Even if we take data from 2014 We've got Cambridge LSE Imperial Oxford Cardiff and City that is 6 unis from Russel group uni you've got 24 in total, so take 6/24=0.25 so I was right Bath is better than 75% Russel Group unis. Additionally, Russell group that any uni can join example Durham Exeter, Queen Mary and York joined in 2012. Well, we shall see the 2021 ref rankings. However, look at data from 2008 and 2014 for the years 2002-2014 we can see that it is a good indicator

Not sure REF data is really a good overall ranking indicator but in the overall power ranking Bath was 35 (REF 2014) I would say 75% seems high, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, LSE, St Andrews, Warwick, Bristol, Notts, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham, Exeter, Southampton are all better or par. I would say its top half of RG.

Well so tell me why guardian and CUG use REF data in the rankings? and 2014 was not 10 years ago

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/sites/default/files/Attachments/2014/12/17/k/a/s/over-14-01.pdf I don't see Bath 35th in overall rankings. Even if it was why would you look at overall rankings, you should be looking at the subject you want to study. Would you want to go to a university that is top 10 in overall rankings but the department you are going be tought by has submitted very little 4* articles in the last 15 years?