SOUTHAMPTON Institute staff have disputed claims that it is the worst university in the country.

The damning verdict came in an annual guide to universities, which aims to help undergraduates choose full-time degree courses.

The 122-place league table - topped by Oxford University and propped up by the Institute - has assessed teaching quality, staff-student ratios and graduate job prospects.

The guide, compiled by the Guardian newspaper, does, however, rate the Institute as the tenth best university to study general engineering in the country.

In that individual subject poll the Institute is just three points off more established red brick universities of Durham and Exeter.

Staff at the Institute - that recently received university status - say they pride themselves in excellent teaching standards and in offering courses that are both vocational and academic.

Robyn Mills, spokesman for the Institute, which educates about 16,000 students, said: "We are surprised and disappointed with our position in the league tables that doesn't match with our judgement or the views of our students.

"We have just come through the most rigorous scrutiny by the Quality Assurance Agency and were granted degree awarding powers last November and just last month met criteria

for a university title.

"This scrutiny doesn't just look at quality of courses it covered the whole range of our operations, including the quality of our staff and the student experience.

"Obviously we are pleased that general engineering was rated in tenth place. We do, however, put the same effort into all our courses."

Compiled by the Guardian and Campus Pi, a research team at Brunel University, the survey also took into account the average entry qualification, spending per student, the value-added improvement each university gives students and its record in attracting candidates from under-represented groups.

The team then used a detailed scoring system out of 100 for each university.

Southampton Institute scored 51.32, in comparison with leaders Oxford who received 84.08 points. The University of Southampton came in at 41st place and was awarded 66.42 points.