UK THE Awards 2015: Who Came Out on Top?

02 Dec 2015

The winners of the 2015 Times Higher Education (THE) Awards were announced last week at a red carpet event at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London.

The organisation produces the most respected university rankings publication in the world, and the THE Awards are widely recognised as the Oscars of the UK’s higher education sector.

Hundreds of universities apply each year, hoping to demonstrate the talent, commitment and innovation of individuals and faculty across every aspect of their institution. It is a commemoration that exemplifies how higher education in Britain has maintained its success.

Each year, a prominent panel of judges selects a shortlist of up to six finalists for each of the categories, with the exception of the Lord Dearing Lifetime Achievement Award for which the winner is chosen by THE’s editorial board.

The award for Most Improved Student Experience also escapes the panel. Instead, up to 20,000 students are polled by YouthSight, the student market research specialists, who are asked to rate their university in terms of academic reputation, teaching, social life and facilities.

Times Higher Education Awards 2015 results announced https://t.co/XKOxv315w7 #highered #edchat #ukedchat #education pic.twitter.com/jKbnRbcude

— Philipp M. Herzberg (@mikioherzberg) November 30, 2015

Winners of the remaining 16 awards are chosen by the panel when they meet in the UK’s capital on judging day.

Winners of the 2015 THE Awards are as follows:

EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION IN THE ARTS

Royal Northern College of Music

MOST IMPROVED STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Southampton Solent University

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL INNOVATION IN TEACHING OR RESEARCH

Bournemouth University

RESEARCH PROJECT OF THE YEAR

University of East Anglia

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

University of Huddersfield

OUTSTANDING EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE

University of Portsmouth

WIDENING PARTICIPATION OR OUTREACH INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Keele University

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

Royal Holloway, University of London

THE LORD DEARING LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Laurie Taylor

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Cardiff University

OUTSTANDING SUPPORT FOR EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS

University of Nottingham

OUTSTANDING SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

Newcastle University

MOST INNOVATIVE TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Momodou Sallah, De Montfort University

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR

King’s College London

BUSINESS SCHOOL OF THE YEAR

Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University

OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL STUDENT STRATEGY

University of the West of England

ENTREPENEURIAL UNIVERSITY OF THE YEAR

University of Leeds

UNIVERSITY OF THE YEAR

Coventry University

Times Higher Education Awards 2015 results: @CovCampus bags top accolade https://t.co/fV5VlwOp1c #THEawards pic.twitter.com/VMD72bwYWt

— TimesHigherEducation (@timeshighered) November 27, 2015

The University of the West of England (UWE) was granted the award for Outstanding International Student Strategy in recognition of the GradLink UK website, which the University claims has contributed to a one-third increase in international student applications over the past two years.

The website was created through partnerships between the careers service at UWE and those of its overseas associates. Since its launch in 2013, the website has networked more than 340 employers in Asia, Africa and North America, as well as gaining more than 180,000 visits.

Via THE-Awards.

“GradLink UK has had impressive numbers of students and employers use the service nationally and internationally, helping the UK retain its reputation for the employability of its graduates,” said the judges.

David Gee, head of employability development at UWE Bristol and creator of GradLink UK, claims the website has cemented UWE’s position as a “flagship university for global employability”.

“We are absolutely delighted that UWE Bristol has been recognised for the significant and pioneering work it is doing for international students,” he said.

Image via Times Higher Education.