ABERYSTWYTH University has climbed 27 places in the 2018 edition of The Guardian university guide.

The institution now sits in 81st place among UK universities in the influential annual guide - up from 108th in the 2017 edition.

The leap equals the university’s best performance for six years - with Aberystwyth being this year’s top climber in Wales and second highest climber in UK.

The welcome news comes amid a backdrop of uncertainty at the institution, where staff have been left fearing for their jobs after the announcement that over £11m in cuts will need to be made over the next two years, with up to 150 jobs said to be at risk.

Prof John Grattan, pro vice-chancellor with responsibility for the student experience at Aberystwyth University, said: “This is the fifth time in 10 months that Aberystwyth University has climbed significantly in the university league tables.

“This upward trajectory is being driven by the satisfaction of our students which is reflected in the outstanding ratings achieved by individual subject areas and departments in this latest league table.

“This in turn reflects the quality of our teaching, our world-leading research and our employability initiatives.

“Coupled with the University’s major investment in its facilities, some of the best student accommodation in the UK and state-of-the-art teaching spaces, this is further evidence that Aber is indeed an exceptional place to learn and live.”

The Guardian university guide results build on Aberystwyth’s league table success over the past 12 months.

In August 2016 Aberystwyth celebrated its best ever performance in the National Student Survey with overall student satisfaction at 92 per cent, placing it above both Oxford and Cambridge.

See next week’s Cambrian News for the full story