De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) has become one of the fastest rising universities in the country, leaping up 20 places in the Daily Mail University Guide 2027.
The results, out today, show DMU improving on a “rare scale”, following an increase in the number of graduates securing quality work and widespread improvements in students’ experience.
Alastair McCall, editor of the Daily Mail University Guide, said: “Improvements on this scale are rare and should be celebrated. This outstanding achievement reflects significant changes on the ground which are transforming university life.”
A key factor in the improved ranking is the introduction, at DMU, of block teaching, which sees students study one module at a time, as opposed to several at once.
This allows learners to focus deeply on each topic, completing assessments as they go, rather than facing a large block of exams at the end of the year.
The university became the first in the country to implement block teaching across all undergraduate teaching and the first cohort taught entirely under the new system graduated last year.
Alastair said: “The introduction of block teaching with its one-module-at-a-time focus has fed through to improved scores across this year’s National Student Survey, with a notable rise in our table in student ratings for their university experience.
“More graduates landing high-skilled jobs with better salaries have also helped lift De Montfort’s overall ranking, making it one of the most upwardly mobile universities in the UK.”
DMU’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Katie Normington, welcomed the rise, praising the hard work of staff and students in supporting improvements across the university.
Professor Normington said: “This is a fantastic achievement, something to really be proud of. It shows that DMU is delivering on both fronts that matter most: giving our graduates the skills to secure great jobs and power the economy, while also creating the kind of experience that brings out the best in students of every ability.
“Block teaching has transformed the way our students learn, and these results prove that when you invest in a genuinely supportive, focused learning experience, you don't just change individual lives, you drive growth for the whole region.”
The rise puts DMU into the UK's top 90 universities, rising to 89th in the national league table.
The Daily Mail University Guide result follows a series of strong recent results for DMU, including being ranked among the UK’s top ten universities for employability and continued improvements in student satisfaction in the National Student Survey. The latest NSS results showed students are thriving under block teaching, with improvements in areas including the organisation and management of courses and students’ sense that their views are valued.
The Daily Mail University Guide 2027 ranks universities across a range of measures, including teaching quality, student satisfaction, graduate outcomes and continuation rates, helping prospective students compare institutions as they make decisions about higher education.
The full Daily Mail University Guide 2027 is available from today.
Posted on Thursday 13 August 2026