UEA achieves best ever results for graduate outcomes in national survey

The University of East Anglia (UEA) has achieved its best ever results for graduate outcomes in the most recent survey by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), with 84% of the 2020/21 cohort in professional or managerial work or further study,15 months after graduation. 

UEA’s latest HESA results represent an increase of 2% on last year, and a 9% increase from 2018/19, based on data gathered from full-time undergraduate UK domiciled students. These figures are one of the metrics used to compile The Times Good University Guide rankings, which are published annually and are due to be announced in September.

UEA is currently ranked 24th in The Times Good University Guide for graduate outcomes, with ten subject areas in the top ten, and Sports Science, Physiotherapy and Social Work ranked in first place. The University’s commitment to provide inclusive opportunities and address barriers to employment for students and graduates from all backgrounds is central to UEA’s success in outperforming the sector in relation to outcomes for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds -promoting social mobility and supporting the regional and national economy. 

Prof David Maguire, Vice-Chancellor and President of UEA, said: 

“Achieving a year-on-year increase for graduate outcomes is a testament to the hard work and enthusiasm of staff from across the University in ensuring our students have access to the best education, advice, and employability opportunities while studying with us. We pride ourselves on creating a supportive environment where students can dream big, achieve their goals, and begin long and fruitful careers, whatever their chosen industry.” 

Several schools within the University achieved a perfect 100% of graduates in employment in this year’s survey, including Norwich Medical School, the School of Chemistry, and the School of Social Work – which has achieved this for three years in a row.

Other specialist areas have also enjoyed sizeable growth from last year in relation to graduate outcomes, with the School of Psychology seeing a 9% increase, the School of Mathematics a 10% increase, and the School of Law almost an 11% increase.  

Zubin Kanji graduated from UEA with LLB Law and was a part of the 2020/21 cohort whose outcomes were surveyed for the latest results. He recently completed a tenure as a paralegal within Samsung’s European legal team, where he focused on competition law, sustainability, and advertising across various cutting-edge areas such as emerging technology, AI, and gaming.

Zubin’s next steps will be commencing a postgraduate degree, alongside taking up a position as a trainee lawyer with Baker McKenzie, a global elite law firm in their London office. He credits his time at UEA with helping him to achieve post-graduation success, saying: 

“My time at UEA served as a vital launchpad for my legal career. The robust LLB curriculum provided at the University gave me a strong foundation in legal principles and ethics, which has been invaluable in my professional journey. Having worked at the intersection of sustainability and competition law during my time at Samsung, learning from some of the most preeminent legal authorities in these areas as my professors at UEA was truly invaluable.” 

Zubin is also keen to highlight UEA’sstrongfocus on career support and networking opportunities. He said:  

“UEA’s career services were an essential driver of my professional progression. Their varied offerings of workshops, webinars, and career fairs expanded my perspective of the legal profession and connected me with a diverse array of industry professionals and potential employers. The networking skills I honed at UEA remain invaluable assets, not just in my law career but in all my professional engagements. 

“Beyond the high-calibre academic and networking opportunities, UEA offered the chance to develop and hone crucial legal skills through competitions like client interviewing, mediation, and negotiation. These competitions, set in a supportive and encouraging environment, equipped me with the confidence to translate these skills into professional practice. Regardless of my role, be it at Samsung or my upcoming tenure at Baker McKenzie, the abilities I began developing at UEA are ones I call upon daily.”