TWO universities in the region have been ranked in the top ten in this year's Times Good University Guide.

York was ranked seven and Durham eight out of the 100 universities in the guide.

It rates York first for teaching quality after almost half of subjects assessed by inspectors were awarded "perfect" scores. The Times said: "No university can better York's record for teaching quality."

MEP Edward McMillan-Scott, a member of York University's Court group, said: "York will provide leaders of the future, as it combines the best teaching with a much wider range of student backgrounds than Oxbridge."

The Times table assesses nine measures of quality, including research and teaching assessments, library and computer spending, graduate destinations and staff to student ratio.