Northern Ireland's two main universities have had major successes in a nationwide comparison of research work.

The University of Ulster has been awarded two five-star grades, the so-called gold standard, and Queen's University Belfast has won a single five-star grade in the Research Assessment Exercise.

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Both universities have improved on their position since the last comparison was made in 1996.

Both have also climbed further up a league table worked about by the Times Higher newspaper.

University of Ulster won awards for biomedical sciences and in Celtic studies

The ratings also affect the amount of public funding for research that the universities can attract.

The quality of research in 170 universities and colleges is checked every few years.

The University of Ulster won its five-star grades for research in biomedical sciences and in Celtic studies.

University of Ulster Vice Chancellor Gerry McKenna said: "We are thrilled to have had such an outstanding result from this research assessment exercise, and it is a great tribute I think to the quality of our staff and their dedication."

Queen's University is higher up the pecking order on university research.

It achieved a five-star grade in aeronautical, mechanical and manufacturing engineering.

Queen's Vice Chancellor Sir George Bain said the university felt it was achieving its goals.

He said: "Our whole strategy has been to be a broadly based research-led university of international standing, so that no student or potential student in Northern Ireland would have to cross the water because they couldn't get a first class education here.

"We think we have achieved that objective."