Ulster University replacing 'world-leading' ads after watchdog complaints
- Published
One of the signs, seen on the Ballycastle Road in Coleraine in July
A Northern Ireland university is removing refences to "world leading" in ad posters after complaints were made to the UK's advertising watchdog.
Ulster University (UU) said there was no formal investigation or sanction from the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) in relation to the billboards.
However it said it was in the process of replacing them.
The ASA said it spoke to UU after receiving two complaints about the advertisements.
Some ad billboards in Coleraine stated: "You are only 10 minutes away from a world-leading university."
As first reported in the Belfast Telegraph, the ASA said the complainants argued the claim was misleading, based on the university's Times Higher Education World University ranking.
"We spoke with Ulster University and they provided assurance that they would remove the ad. As such, as we consider the matter closed," it added.
'Ad based on number of factors'
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings puts the university between number 601 and 800 on the list.
Advertisers must present evidence that justifies their claims to the ASA, if asked to do so.
BBC News NI understands that the ASA takes matters on a a case-by-case basis and could take other matters rather than ranking into account if given evidence for the university's "world-leading" claim.
A spokeswoman for the university said its "research environment" had been judged to be excellent and worthy of the description.
"The 'world-leading' reference in this ad was based on a number of factors and rankings, and particularly the REF 2021 rating, where that independent expert reviewer specifically defines that 97% of Ulster University's research environment is world leading or internationally excellent," she said.
She added that in the Research Excellence Framework 2021, external, UU had ranked in the top 10% in the UK for world leading or internationally excellent research impact and that 97% of Ulster University's research impact had outstanding or very considerable impacts in reach and significance.
The spokeswoman also said the university was found to be in the top 250 young universities in the world in The Times Young University Rankings 2023, which lists the world's best universities that are 50 years old or younger.