Durham University has retained its title of the top university in the North East - despite dropping in the national league table.
The institute came ahead of Newcastle, Northumbria, Teesside and Sunderland universities in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019.
The guide provides the definitive ranking for UK universities and the most comprehensive overview of higher education in Britain.
Durham University was upgraded to a gold award in the Teaching Excellence Framework this year, while its courses for geography, environmental science and music are ranked top in the UK guide’s subject tables.
It comes as the university prepares to invest £1bn to improve its digital and physical resources over the next 10 years and increase its student numbers from 15,000 to 21,5000 by 2027.
The university dropped from number five in the national ranking to seven this year.
Newcastle University was ranked second in the North East overall, but was top of the list for universities for graduate prospects, with just more than 85% of students advancing to professional jobs or graduate-level further study.
Next year, a new sports centre is due to open as part of a £30m investment in sports provision.
The institute moved up five places in the national rank to 21.
Northumbria University was top in the region for student experience and improved on last year’s national ranking.
It moved up five places to rank 61, which is partly due to increased spending on facilities.
Northumbria is the biggest university in the North East and has partnered with the Maltese Government to run a nursing degree.
There is also a new agreement with Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, where a programme in international business will be open to all undergraduates to enrich their degree.
Teesside moved up seven places in the national league table to 85 and is now in the top 30 for student satisfaction with the quality of teaching and the top 40 for graduate prospects.
The university has reshaped its portfolio of courses, launching 40 new programmes in 2017 and is adding 50 more this month - most of them will be foundation years leading onto existing degrees.
It is planning to add to its degree apprenticeships on offer and double the number of apprentices in the next year to 400.
The University of Sunderland has seen a significant improvement in student satisfaction this year with students rating the quality of teaching in the top 40 nationally.
Entry standards have increased, in a year when most institutions with a similar profile have seen declines.
It has also been awarded one of five new medical schools, joining a handful of former polytechnics to have received this accolade. It will take its first 50 students in 2019 and have an intake of 100 in later years.
