DUNDEE University has been ranked as the top UK institution in a new higher education league table.

The university came 16th overall in the Times Higher Education's list of 150 of the world’s top universities under 50 years of age. Only two other Scottish institutions featured with Stirling coming 54th and Heriot-Watt 91st.

Professor Sir Pete Downes, principal of Dundee University, said: "I am particularly pleased to see we have improved our overall position against growing investment and competition internationally.

“Our work at Dundee carries global impact and we have built an international reputation for excellence in research and teaching while the experience we offer students has been consistently highly rated."

Overall, the UK dominated the latest rankings with 25 establishments in Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the list.

Swiss University Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, founded in 1969, came first followed by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Phil Baty, Times Higher Education rankings editor, said the UK was the most-represented country.

Earlier this year it emerged that staff and students at Dundee are facing cuts after it forecast a deficit of up to £10 million by the end of 2017.

The university said the latest funding settlement from the Scottish Government combined with increases in staff pay, pensions and national insurance contributions was "a real threat to our financial sustainability".