THE region’s flagship university has recorded its highest ever ratings in the 2018 global subject rankings.

Nine subjects at Durham University now feature in the world’s top 50, one up from last year in the prestigious international table, with three maintaining their places in the top ten.

Theology and religion, a single subject, is rated third in the world, with archaeology fifth and geography sixth.

Classics feature for the first time, with Durham entering at 25th best in the field.

Overall, Durham, is rated as equal 78th best in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2018, twelfth in the UK, with York sharing 135th place alongside Lancaster, and Newcastle 161st.

Other Durham subjects featuring in the world top 50 are earth sciences, anthropology, English, history and law.

Durham is consistently ranked among the world’s leading universities as shown by its top 100 position in both the overall QS rankings and The World University Rankings 2018.

In national rankings Durham is fourth in the Guardian University Guide, fifth in the latest Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide and sixth in The Complete University Guide 2018.

University vice-chancellor, Professor Stuart Corbridge, said: “To surpass our achievements in this respected international ranking is wonderful, and testimony to the truly world class research and education we provide at Durham.

“Our students are taught by some of the world’s leading researchers as part of a rounded educational experience that enables them to develop both their knowledge of their chosen degrees and their skills and talents, whether that is in drama, music, sport or volunteering. Our students are rightly in great demand by employers around the world.

“We aim to build on success with an ambitious strategy that is seeing us invest in new facilities that will enhance research, teaching and the wider student experience while continuing to attract some of the world’s best academics to Durham.

“Everyone at the university can be rightly proud of these rankings and their contributions to Durham’s continuing success.”

The QS rankings are based on academic and employer reputation, research citations, plus the productivity and impact of the work published by academics.