Twelve universities have been named among the UK¡¯s most gay-friendly places to work.

Cardiff 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ is the sector¡¯s highest-placed institution in this year¡¯s annual Stonewall Top 100 Employers, positioned as the UK¡¯s 20th best employer, according to the gay rights charity.

It is followed by Swansea 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ (36th place), which enters Stonewall¡¯s top 100 for the first time.

Other new entrants to the list include Teesside?51¹ú²úÊÓƵ (44th), the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Essex (joint 53rd), the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Greenwich (80th) and London South Bank 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ (92nd).

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Others to feature on the list include the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Birmingham (50th), the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Manchester (joint 53rd), De Montfort 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ (58th), the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Sheffield (61st), York St John 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ (61st) and Leeds Beckett 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ (64th).

It means that higher education now has 12 representatives in the top 100, its highest ever share.

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Employers are selected for the list after an assessment of 10 areas of employment policy and practice, which includes surveys of about 50,000 staff about gay-friendly policies in the workplace.

Cardiff¡¯s lofty ranking was, in part, because its senior management had shown significant support for staff and student lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender networks and societies, Stonewall said.

Swansea¡¯s support for staff and student gay networks was also cited as a reason for its high standing in the table.

Raymond Ciborowski, registrar and chief operating officer at Swansea, said that the university was ¡°delighted to have made such a significant leap in this year¡¯s Stonewall index¡±.

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¡°This new ranking is further recognition of the thriving, diverse campus environment at Swansea that makes it such a great place to work and study,¡± he said.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com