ARTS University Bournemouth is the highest ranked modern university in the south west in the new Sunday Times Good University Guide.

It has been ranked fourth overall out of 13 with Bournemouth University in seventh place. Bath University is top.

AUB has moved up 13 places in the national rankings and has been praised in the guide, published today (Fri Sept 22).

It says: "Just three modern universities rank higher in the new league table. An offer rate of less than 40 per cent attests to the competition for places at this arts-specialist institution. And, once in, few drop out with the non-completion rate standing at just six per cent, around half the expected figure.

"Students’ perceptions of teaching quality earn AUB the highest mark in the south west for this performance indicator with an 83.2 per cent positive score."

There are plans to expand the intake at the main campus in Poole with more residential and academic buildings in the pipeline. This follows £17m of improvements completed between 2014 and 2016, which included the first drawing studio to be built at a UK art school for 100 years.