THE region’s flagship higher educational institution has risen four places up the world university league table.

Durham University has climbed to 74th in the newly published rankings.

Having risen from 78th in last year’s QS World University Rankings, it puts Durham in the top eight per cent of the 1,011 global institutions examined.

But in its “employer reputation” the university is ranked 33rd globally, up a place, and in the top 10 nationally for the quality of its graduates, a rating vased on more than 42,000 responses from the world’s leading businesses.

Durham is ranked in the top three in the UK and 57th globally for citations, a rise of 25 places, considered a key indicator of the quality of its research and of its reputation among academics worldwide.

Vice-chancellor, Professor Stuart Corbridge, said: “Durham is a world leading university, with significant strengths in research, teaching and the student experience across all academic subjects and associated activities.

“To have risen in the latest QS World University Rankings is a credit to the hard work and talent of our staff and students.”

He added that the news comes amid “exciting times” for the university as it aims to to build on its World Top 100 success by investing in new facilities and attracting, “the very best” academics to Durham.