League tables have been released giving the verdict on the region’s universities.

Lancaster University was named as the best in the North West in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019, while University of Cumbria came in at number 11.

Nationally they were ranked as number six and 125 respectively - out of a total of 132.

Lancaster held its position at number six from 2017, when it was also named as university of the year. It has been named as the best university in the North West for more than 10 years.

Cumbria was also ranked at number 125 nationally last year.

Students at University of Cumbria recorded a completion rate of 83.5 per cent with 73.6 per cent entering jobs or post-graduate study.

At the same time, Lancaster University had a completion rate of 92.6 per cent with 89.1 per cent going into professional jobs or post-graduate study.

Next year it will offer students courses in criminology and psychology, sport and exercise science and management with modern languages.

The league tables rank universities based on their performance in a number of key areas for undergraduates.

These cover student satisfaction with the quality of their teaching and academic feedback, course content and facilities; graduate job prospects; the likelihood of achieving a high-class degree; entry standards; dropout rates; research quality; student/staff ratio and spending on library and other student services.

Alastair McCall, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “Lancaster made an unanswerable case to be our University of the Year in 2017, and the evidence why is still there for all to see.

"Graduate prospects are the best for any non-specialist university in the UK with employers falling over themselves to recruit Lancaster students.

“With entry standards high and dropout rates low, Lancaster is a challenge that it is worth applicants rising to. It is making a place in our UK top 10 its own.”

In total four universities from the North West appeared in the national top 50; Lancaster, Manchester, Liverpool and Liverpool Hope.

University of Bolton came bottom of both the regional table at 12 and ranked 126th nationally.

Cumbria University were unavailable for comment.