University of Hertfordshire’s School of Creative Arts named best UK creative school in the 2024 Rookies Global School Rankings

Showcasing the top 50 creative schools worldwide considered to be providing the “absolute best in creative education and excellence across all categories”, Herts was the top UK institute to be listed – coming two places above the University of Arts London - and ranked within the top 20 places to study creative arts in the world.

In addition to being recognised as the top creative institution in the UK, the School of Creative Arts' Animation courses achieved notable success in several categories:

• Best 2D Animation School in Europe and Number Two in the World

• Best 3D Animation School in the UK

• Best Concept Art School in the UK

• Best VFX School in the UK

• Number Two in the World for VFX Production Excellence

Considered the leading community for digital creatives, The Rookies formulated their rankings by using industry-leading professionals to review student art portfolios based on criteria that encompass creative skills, technical proficiency, presentation quality, diversity of skills, project complexity, raw talent, and employment potential.

Referring to the final ranking results, they stated: “This premier list showcases the most distinguished educational institutions that stand out as leaders in nurturing and shaping the next generation of artists, designers, animators, and creative professionals. These results serve as the ultimate guide for individuals seeking the finest educational opportunities in the creative arts, offering a comprehensive resource to identify schools that consistently produce top-tier talent across a diverse range of creative disciplines.”

Dr Stephen Patridge, Dean of the School of Creative Arts at the University of Hertfordshire, said:

“These incredible results highlights the exceptional quality of the University of Hertfordshire’s Creative Arts School’s creative programmes, as well as the talent and dedication of its students and staff. They also reflect the university’s growing reputation as a leader in creative arts education, particularly in the animation and visual effects (VFX) sectors.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of our students and staff, whose relentless passion, creativity, and commitment have made this recognition possible. Their hard work continues to set new standards for excellence, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for our talented community.”

The Rookies Awards are a widely recognised benchmark of excellence in creative education. Each year, the awards spotlight institutions that consistently produce top-tier talent across various creative disciplines, from animation and concept art to design and VFX. The results serve as a valuable guide for students seeking the best educational opportunities in the creative industries.

Joint Programme Leaders for the University of Hertfordshire’s Digital Animation and Games courses, David Tree and Dr Daniel Goodbrey, said:

“What makes the Rookies mean so much to us is that it’s all based on the quality of work our students submit to the competition. We’re so proud of what they achieve ever year and our success in the competition is true testament to the quality of the work being created at Herts.

“The dedication and hard work of the staff team really shines through in these results. Every year for the past ten years we’ve consistently ranked as one of the best places in the world to study the Creative Arts and it’s great to see that recognised again in 2024.”