STUDENTS from Scottish universities have the best job prospects in the UK, new figures show.

A report found more than 95 per cent of Scottish graduates had either secured a job or gone into further study six months after they left in 2015.

That compares to a UK average of below 94 per cent according to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa).

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow has the highest "employability rate" in Scotland of more than 97 per cent while the lowest rates were at Queen Margaret University, in Edinburgh, and the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said the institution was committed to providing a teaching experience that encouraged students to develop interesting and fulfilling future paths.

He said: "Our graduates can be found on stages, in concert halls and behind the scenes as well as in classrooms and communities in Scotland and internationally.

"We encourage students to be collaborative, creative and to use their skills and their art to make a difference across the cultural landscape and far beyond it."

In total, Six Scottish institutions were placed amongst the top 25 in the UK for employability with the other five being the universities of Stirling, Aberdeen, Robert Gordon, Dundee and Strathclyde.

Scottish universities have made employability a priority of their work with a renewed focus on careers advice, a revamping of courses to include the development of skills, working closely with employers in the design and delivery of courses and the creation of work placements.

The figures were also published a week after it emerged that Scottish university graduates have the best average starting salaries in the UK and are more likely to secure professional jobs.

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Minister for Further and Higher Education, said the figures were a testament to the quality and success of the country's world class universities.

She added: “We are committed to supporting Scotland’s higher education sector and we will continue to invest over £1 billion in our higher education institutions in 2016/17."

Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, which represents the sector, commended graduates for securing the best levels of employment in the UK.

He said: "Scottish universities do all they can to develop and promote the talent and employability of graduates.

"That includes engaging with employers, professional bodies and others in the design and development of courses, developing a set of graduate attributes in every student and encouraging students to be entrepreneurial."

Vonnie Sandlan, president of student body NUS Scotland described the figures as "incredibly positive" for Scottish graduates.

She said: "This, combined with statistics showing Scottish graduates see higher average starting salaries, emphasises the hugely beneficial and transformative power of higher education.

"These figures demonstrate that expanding the opportunities available in higher education brings great benefits and supports a growing economy, along with a generally fairer society."

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A spokesman for UCU Scotland, which represents lecturers, said: "It's good to see students from Scottish universities continue to do well in their post study careers. Their success reflects well on the strength of the teaching taking place in Scottish universities.

"Higher education is about more than simply being a conveyor belt for future employment, but with students increasingly getting into debt to complete their studies it is good that students are finding positive outcomes after graduating."

University                     Employability rate

Royal Conservatoire                 97.2

Stirling                                    96.8

Aberdeen                                96.6

Robert Gordon                         96.5

Dundee                                   96.2

Strathclyde                             96.2

Glasgow Caledonian                 95.8

St Andrews                             95.8

Edinburgh Napier                     95.1

Glasgow                                  94.9

West of Scotland                      94.7

Heriot-Watt                             93.8

Edinburgh                               93.5

Glasgow School of Art              93.3

Abertay                                   92.8

Queen Margaret                       91.9

Highlands and Islands              91.7