Revealed: The Best UK Cities for Studying Technology

One of the most effective ways to advance in your career is to increase your knowledge of your chosen field and expand your skillset. In the working world, this is often known as continuing professional development (CPD), which at its crux is simply about valuing lifelong learning and education. Continuing to explore the topics and trends in your chosen field is particularly important in fast-evolving industries, such as those in the technology sector.  

Encouraging continued learning  

As professionals who work in the field of further education (FE), this leaves us with a two-fold responsibility. Our first is to practice what we preach, and continue to expand our own knowledge of FE topics, trends and best practices. The second is equally, if not more, important. Encouraging working-age adults (and young adults alike) to continue to pursue further education in their field of interest. As mentioned, this is particularly true for those currently working in – or interested in entering – the tech field.  

That’s where research such as the World’s Tech Hotspots by retailer Carphone Warehouse comes in handy. While there are many factors to take into account when deciding on where to pursue further education, the research focuses on several key factors that can make a massive difference – from quality of learning to future career opportunities. It’s a useful way of homing in on some of the best areas in the UK that we can go on to recommend to interested parties.  

London, Cambridge and Oxford are best for UK tech  

According to its UK-focused table, for those looking to expand their knowledge of the tech field in the UK, London, Cambridge and Oxford appear to be clear frontrunners. The table considers the amount of high-quality educational institutions in each city, how well the cities’ top universities perform and the average salary of the tech role that graduates could potentially pursue at the end of a degree. 

Thanks to an impressive six universities entering the global 100 for STEM teaching in the QS Top University Rankings, London scores the best in the UK overall for tech learning. The capital city’s Imperial College London gets a top score of 92.1 out of 100 in the rankings, making it the prime spot for tech education. Having also recently risen in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, Imperial College London is set to be an attractive choice for today’s tech enthusiasts. 

Of course, Cambridge and Oxford are strong contenders in the education category. In fact, it comes as no surprise that the University of Cambridge is ranked third in the world – and the best in Europe – for STEM subjects, with a score of 93.4 out of 100 in the QS Top University rankings. The University of Oxford follows with 92.5 – a touch above London’s top offer.  

There’s a breadth of tech education opportunities in the UK 

Beyond the top three, further education opportunities in the UK STEM sector are immense, with Scotland’s Edinburgh getting fourth place, Manchester’s University of Manchester scoring 80.5 in the QS Top University rankings, and Southampton boasting a high average salary for tech jobs. Notably, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Birmingham also boast two universities that make the list of the top 100 universities in the world for STEM.  

Thanks to this wide range of choices across the UK, there’s ample opportunity to find and recommend uniquely suitable further education avenues to anyone who expresses an interest. And, with the tech sector being one of the most profitable and fastest growing, it’s a key area for us, as proponents of further education, to focus on and encourage lifelong learning in.