Bangor University, located in Bangor, Wales, is a renowned public institution. It was granted its Royal Charter in 1885 and played a key role in the establishment of the federal University of Wales. It underwent a name change in 2007 when it gained independence from the University of Wales. Previously known as the University College of North Wales (UCNW) and later the University of Wales, Bangor (UWB), it now goes by its current name. Bangor’s research has been highly acclaimed by the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, with over three-quarters of it being recognised as world-leading or internationally excellent. According to the university submission of 14 Units of Assessment, an impressive 77% of the research received top-tier ratings for research quality, surpassing the average for all UK universities.[82] In 2017, Bangor University achieved the highest rating of ‘Gold’ in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), distinguishing it as a university of exceptional quality in the UK. This recognition reflects the university’s unwavering commitment to delivering consistently outstanding teaching, learning, and outcomes for its students. Over the past few years, Bangor has received high ratings from its students in two separate surveys that gauge student opinion. The university has consistently received high rankings in the National Student Survey, both within Wales and in the wider UK higher education sector. In 2017, Bangor University’s students achieved an impressive ranking, placing the university eighth among the UK’s non-specialist universities and second among Welsh Universities.[86][third-party source required] Once again, Bangor has been recognised as the top university in the UK for Clubs and Societies at the prestigious 2018 WhatUni Student Choice Awards. It once again secured the prestigious accolade for top Student Accommodation, reclaiming the title it had previously earned in 2016. The university achieved an impressive second place ranking for ‘Courses and Lecturers’ and maintained its position in third place for the prestigious ‘University of the Year’ category. WhatUni award nominations are determined by the feedback and perspectives of the university’s students. For the fourth consecutive year, Bangor University has emerged victorious, clinching yet another prestigious national WhatUni Award.