A SOUTHAMPTON university features in a new list of the world’s best universities founded after the Second World War.

According to the Times Higher Education’s inaugural ranking of ‘Golden Age’ universities – those institutions founded between 1945 and 1966 – University of Southampton is placed eleventh overall.

The University of California in San Diego takes the top spot.

University of Southampton fares much better when the list is narrowed down to institutions ranked in the UK – coming in at second place, only second to Warwick.

The Times Higher characterises the ‘Golden Age’ as the post-war period when global higher education experienced rapid expansion and increasing investment in research.

The list is based on the same methodology as the Times Higher’s World University Rankings, where Southampton is currently placed joint 121st overall.

Metrics relate to teaching, research reputation and research productivity.

A spokesman for the university said: “The University of Southampton is very pleased to be recognised amongst the world’s leading Golden Age universities.

“Our modern history began in 1952 when we became the first higher education institution in the UK to be granted university status in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

“We have since gone from strength to strength and are now recognised as world-leading across a number of key areas where our students, staff and alumni are changing the world for the better.

“It is our goal to continue to enhance our global reputation for quality in all that we do and this form of recognition from Times Higher Education can certainly go a long way to helping us achieve that.”