Summer is with us (sort of) and for many universities graduation season is approaching. This can only mean one thing –  it is time for universities to break out their deckchair collections.

University branded deckchairs became a thing about five or six years ago and suddenly every institution seemed to have them. Many will, of course, claim they were first to deploy this novel form of promotional device but we can never really be sure which university was the leader of the collapsable seating pack. 

The reason that everyone jumped on this particular bandwagon is obvious though – deckchairs are extremely instagrammable and create a delightful mix of fun and nostalgia for all the family looking to fill the time either side of a graduation queue. And you can sit on them too.

Looking at this range of deck chairs you get a sense of the attraction:

All of these are regular sized but the next level of the deckchairs on campus phenomenon is of course giant deckchairs. Big, is most definitely, better.

But this inevitably brings us to the need to celebrate the giant university deck chair in a unique higher ed ranking.

The methodology is, as you would expect, multi-dimensional and sophisticated (but if we have a pic of someone looking like they are, however unlikely it may seem, enjoying the experience, that is going to score well). There are some real surprises in this top 10. #UniDeckchairs 

But first, the runners up. Just outside the top 10 we have this selection of giant deckchairs which are all BIG but they just haven’t quite got what it takes to break in to the upper reaches of this particular league table: 

Dropping out of the top tier we have Bath Spa University and also just bubbling under are Brighton, Northumbria, Queen Mary, Sheffield Hallam and Warwick among other hopefuls. Maybe next time. 

The BIG Top 10

So here is the top 10 – there are a few movers since this table was last compiled in 2022.

Steady as she goes at number 10 then we have the University of Chichester where they seemed to have chosen someone who could not be more excited to be sitting in a #UniDeckchair

A new entry at 9 it’s Brunel with their bright and breezy graduation offering.

Up one to 8th place we have Bournemouth University who are at least by the seaside although there are not many buckets and spades in evidence here, it looks more like a regular day at the office.

A non-mover at 7 in the BIG deckchair ranking is Manchester which is very much not by the sea (in the UK and not in the movies that is). And they spend a lot of time reading there it seems.

Wellies on for number 6, again from near the sea, we have Aberystwyth – this chair looks really big and despite the mud is another climber up two places from last time.

Slipping down three places to 5th in this vital league table is the University of Kent where they like waving (if slightly half-heartedly).

At number 4 we find Trinity Saint David, another Welsh entry in the top 10.

Into the top 3 and again it is a legit seaside location bagging a top spot – they know how to have fun in a deckchair in Portsmouth where they are a non-mover.

Racing up to second place in this classiest of league tables is Durham where you have to dress up and bring balloons to use the deckchairs.

And top of the pile once again in the BIG deckchair ranking is, of course, who else could it be, with a unique mascot deckchair combo, but Solent University. Congratulations to them and Sammy Saint from the football team up the road for helping bag the number 1 spot.

Good luck to Sammy in the Championship play offs on Sunday (or, if you are reading this afterwards, well done to the Saints on promotion OR see you back in the second tier next season).

1 Solent (1)

2 Durham (5)

3 Portsmouth (3)

4 Trinity St David (4)

5 Kent (2)

6 Aberystwyth (8)

7 Manchester (7)

8 Bournemouth (9)

9 Brunel (-)

10 Chichester (10)

Well, that was pointless. Are there any BIG #UniDeckchairs which we have outrageously overlooked in this bold new #Ranking ? Do share.

 #UniDeckchairs