01 May 07

The University of Oxford has widened its lead at the top of The Guardian University Guide 2008­ - taking the top spot for the third time running. According to the table, which is based as far as possible on the student experience, Oxford scores 95.3/100, 3.4 points ahead of second place Cambridge (91.9/100). Imperial College (82.3/100) has taken third place.

The Guardian says: 'Pretty much everything about Oxford is world-class. But its stellar research, teaching, laboratories and museums deserve particular mention.' It also highlights the work the collegiate University is doing to widen access, and that Oxford's drop-out rate for undergraduates is one of the lowest in the country.

The guide judges courses on teaching quality and feedback from graduates, spending per student, staffing levels, job prospects, and degree results compared with entry qualifications. In addition to the overall rankings, the guide offers subject-by-subject tables where Oxford is placed consistently highly. The University takes first place in the rankings for Anatomy and Physiology, Anthropology, Business and Management Studies, Earth and Marine Sciences, Economics, Engineering: materials and mineral, English, Law, Medicine, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Politics, and Psychology.

The Vice-Chancellor, Dr John Hood, said: 'The result says volumes about the high calibre of our students and staff, the quality of our research and teaching, and the fantastic libraries, museums and other resources I am proud to say we can offer scholars.

'We may be steeped in history, but Oxford today is a vibrant academic community and I am delighted that our achievements and commitment to providing the best environment for teaching and research have been recognised in this way.'