The university attained strong standings during Prondzynski's tenure. According to the 2013 Times Good University Guide RGU was the best modern university in the UK, while according to the Guardian University Guide 2013, it was the best modern university in Scotland and second best in the UK. Analysis published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) has indicated that graduates from full-time undergraduate degrees in each of 2011-2016 had among the top 20 employment rates of any university in the UK, with the ratio being 96.5% in 2016, and 97.6% in 2017, and it was rated the best Scottish university for graduate prospects. However RGU also suffered a decline in some UK university rankings, falling from #36 in 2010 to #78 in the 2019 edition of The Guardian University Guide, as well as seeing a similar decline in performance in The Complete University Guide.