Policy, Strategy and Facts and Figures

See below for some quick facts and figures about Queen Margaret University. From this page, you can also access our Statement of Accounts and our Strategic Plan.

Rankings

National Student Survey 2023

Results from the National Student Survey 2023, one of the largest student surveys in the world, showed that 74% of students at QMU are satisfied overall with the quality of their course. The survey saw several courses at QMU achieve 100% overall satisfaction, and Queen Margaret University's Students' Union (QMUSU) coming out second top in Scotland, with students agreeing that QMUSU represented students' academic interests well.

There is 100% overall satisfaction with our Acting and Performance course.

There is 100% overall satisfaction with our Physiotherapy course.

There is 100% overall satisfaction with our Speech and Language Therapy course.

There is 90.9% overall overall satisfaction with our Master of Nursing course.

There is 90% overall overall satisfaction with our Public Relations and Marketing course.

We are in the top 2 of Scottish higher education institutions for overall satisfaction with courses in Counselling, Psychotherapy and Occupational Therapy. (Our course in this category is Occupational Therapy.)

We are top amongst Scottish higher education institutions for overall satisfaction with courses in Marketing. (Our course in this category is PR and Marketing Communications.)

We are in the top 2 of Scottish higher education institutions for overall satisfaction with courses in Drama. (Our courses in this area are Acting & Performance, Costume Design & Construction; Drama; and Performance.)

Other rankings

We are ranked in the top 50% of European institutions in the QS World Rankings: Europe 2024. We are ranked in the top 57% of universities in the world in the QS World Rankings 2024.

We were one of the top five highest climbers in the Guardian University Guide 2024, ranked in 63^rd place out of 122 institutions. Within that league table, we are:

1^st amongst UK and Scottish higher education institutions for Paramedic Science
1st in Scotland and 9^th in the UK for Drama
In the top 3 of Scottish higher education institutions and 6th in the UK for Nursing
In the top 3 of Scottish higher education institutions for Nutrition & Food Science
In the top 4 of Scottish Higher education institutions for Hospitality, Event Management & Tourism
In the top 6 of Scottish higher education institutions for Media
In the top 10 of Scottish higher education institutions for Business & Management

In the Daily Mail University Guide, published in 2023, we are ranked as:

8th top small university in the UK
In the top 2 of Scottish higher education institutions for first generation students

In the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024, we are:

In the top 20 for entry standards (UCAS points)
In the top 40 for satisfaction with teaching quality
In the top 50 for the wider undergraduate experience
In the top 50 for first/2:1s
2^nd top in the UK and 2^nd top in Scotland for Radiography
5^th top in the UK for Physiotherapy
17^th in the UK for Nursing
8^th in Scotland for Business
Ranked in the top 5 universities in the UK for Social Inclusion

We are ranked in the top 6 of UK universities for Complementary Medicine (covering Music Therapy and Podiatry) (Complete University Guide 2024)

We are in the top 5 of UK universities for Counselling, Psychotherapy and Occupational Therapy (Complete University Guide 2024)

Student Statistics (21/22 academic year)

10007 students (including 3733 studying via our partners overseas)

42.8% are from Scotland;

8% are from the UK outside of Scotland;

36.2% are from Europe;

13% are from outside Europe.

Graduate Employability

At 2%, QMU (along with Abertay University and the Open University) has the lowest level of unemployment in Scotland for its graduates 15 months after they have graduated. The average figure for Scotland is 5%. (Graduate Outcome Statistics 2020/1, published by HESA in 2023).

We are in top 6 of Scottish universities for the number of graduates in full-time employment 15 months after they have graduated. (Graduate Outcome Statistics 2020/1 published by HESA in 2023).

Research Excellence

REF 2021 (the system of assessing, through peer review, the quality of research in UK higher education institutions) showed that :

QMU has world-leading or internationally excellent research in every one of the seven REF 2021 ‘units of assessment’ to which we submitted research.
100% of our research impact in Communications, Cultural and Media Studies was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent
100% of our research impact in Nursing and the Allied Health Professions was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.
75% of our research impact in Speech and Language Science was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.
75% of our research impact in Global Health and Development was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.
50% of our research impact in Business and Management Studies was as rated internationally excellent.
50% of our research impact in Psychology was rated as world-leading.

Fostering Innovation

We have hosted 100 graduate start-ups in our on-campus Business Innovation Zone

We are the 1st Scottish university to host a Business Gateway on campus

Staff and Financial Statistics

QMU staff (as of December 2022)

309 Academic

254 Professional Services

67.5% Female

32.5% Male

6.7% have an ethnic minority background

Income (2021-22)

Total income: £48.3m

Sources of income (2021-22)

Scottish Funding Council: £21.6m (44.7%)

Student tuition fees: £17.1m (35.4%)

Research grants and contracts: £2.8m (5.8%)

Other income: £6.8m (14.1%)

Other Interesting Facts

We were established in 1875. Throughout our history, we have focused on serving the community and improving the quality of life through education and research which is relevant to society’s needs.
We offer the broadest range of allied health professional degrees in Scotland including nursing, dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, radiography, audiology, art psychotherapy, music therapy, and speech and language therapy.
We have won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for our work in speech science.
Through collaborative agreements, students are studying for our degrees in India, Nepal, Greece, Egypt and other countries.

Some of our Alumni

Michael Matheson, MSP and Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care in the Scottish Government
Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP and Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice in the Scottish Government
Matt Baker, TV presenter (formerly ‘Blue Peter’, currently ‘The One Show’ and ‘Countryfile’)
Ashley Jensen, actor (US hit TV series ‘Ugly Betty’)
Edith Bowman, Scottish music critic, radio DJ and TV presenter (BBC Radio 1)
Kevin McKidd, actor (‘Trainspotting’, TV hit series ‘Rome’, Grey’s Anatomy’)

Read our alumni (and current student) case studies

Economic Impact

According to research by the University of Strathclyde, QMU is worth £77 million to the economy (2009)
Employment attributable to the University represents 3% of all East Lothian employment
Students from outside Scotland who come to study at QMU generate an estimated £11 of economic output each year

Our Strategic Plan

Our Strategic Plan 2020-2025 demonstrates how we will contribute to society’s recovery and recalibration following COVID-19. It sets out how we will help create a better society through teaching, learning and innovation. It shows how we will nurture our distinctive person-centred approach to learning, and how we will build on our unique academic portfolio. Promoting creativity, agility, resilience and collaboration, the strategy holds true to the ethos of social justice on which this institution was founded.

Find out more about our strategy in our Strategic Plan

Annual Accounts

Find our Annual Accounts in the Finance section of our website