The QS league table comes on the back of our best ever year in terms of student admissions, research income and student satisfaction. This latest data also supports our strong performance in UK league tables when we were placed in the Top 20 in The Sunday Times' most recent survey and Complete University Guide 2015.

Geography is the best performing subject, ranked at 31 in the world. The University's Faculty of Medical Sciences is also in the top 100 for the first time at 94 in the Life Sciences and Medicine category.

This year, we were also rated 6th in the UK for student satisfaction, our international students placed us in the world's top 50 in the International Student Barometer and 93.7% of our students found jobs within the first six months of graduating.

Professor Chris Brink, Vice-Chancellor, said: "It is encouraging to see this rise in our position in the QS global rankings and it is further evidence of our international strengths in research, teaching and working with business.

"In the last academic year we also enjoyed our best year ever in terms of student admissions our highest levels of research income at over £120m and our student satisfaction rates are the most impressive to date."

The QS ranking methodology examines all three core elements of a university's mission, research, teaching and business engagement. It also measures the University's reputation among its academic peers and industry partners.

Ben Sowter, head of research at QS comments: "Historical trends in our rankings prove that in order to maintain one's position, universities need to continually improve. Hence, Newcastle University is clearly doing that as it has not only maintained its position but improved it two places."