University of Staffordshire has been named Modern University of the Year 2027 by the Daily Mail University Guide.

The award follows three successive rises in the table. The university is now 38th overall and the highest-ranked modern university in this year’s guide, with more than three-quarters of graduates going into high-skilled jobs.

It also comes weeks before a £100 million Student Village opens, with accommodation for 1,000 students and a new student hub.

Alastair McCall, editor of the Daily Mail University Guide, said Staffordshire was the standout candidate. He said three-quarters of graduates land high-skilled jobs and that graduate salaries place the university in the top 30 nationally.

Professor Philip Plowden, vice-chancellor, said: “We're delighted to receive this award, and hugely proud of what our students and staff have achieved together.”

He said students want a sense of belonging while they are there, then a good job and a stable professional future. The university has invested in simulation-based learning at its Centre for Health Innovation and on its Stoke-on-Trent campus.