Welcome to the seventh THE Awards, an evening dedicated to showcasing the greatest ideas, the finest practice and the very best researchers and teachers in our universities.

Times Higher Education, which this year marks its 40th anniversary of serving UK higher education, is very proud of its role in highlighting the accomplishments of an innovative and extraordinary successful sector.

I hope you will join me in congratulating each of our very deserving winners. Tonight is a night to celebrate and to be inspired. Enjoy.

– Ann Mroz, editor, THE

The winners were announced on 24 November 2011, view the photos of the ceremony in our Flickr album .

Below are the shortlists and winning entries, and here you will find an e-book profiling all the winners .

Watch the highlights video

University of the Year

Sponsored by Santander Universities

University of Dundee

Edge Hill University

University of Nottingham

University of Sheffield (winner)

University of Southampton

University of Sussex

Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community

Sponsored by Unite Group

University of Derby (winner)

University of Huddersfield

University of Kent

Universities of Leeds and Huddersfield (ALPS)

University of Salford

University for the Creative Arts

Outstanding Employer Engagement Initiative

Sponsored by Communications Management

Bradford University School of Management

University of Derby (winner)

University of East London

Middlesex University

University of Roehampton

Sheffield Hallam University

Excellence and Innovation in the Arts

Sponsored by CAPITA Consulting

University of Exeter

The Kent and Medway Progression Federation

Newcastle University

Plymouth University

University for the Creative Arts

University of Warwick (winner)

Widening Participation Initiative of the Year

Sponsored Action on Access

University of East Anglia

Keele University

Northumbria University

Realising Opportunities Partnership, submitted by Newcastle University (winner)

University of Sheffield

University of the Arts London

Outstanding ICT Initiative of the Year

Sponsored by CampusIT

Birmingham City University

The Careers Group, University of London

University of the Highlands and Islands

University of Huddersfield

University of Leeds, School of Medicine

University of Southampton (winner)

Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers

Sponsored by Vitae

University of Bath

University of Manchester (winner)

University of Nottingham

Queen Mary, University of London

University of Sheffield

University of Strathclyde

Most Improved Student Experience

Sponsored by Campus Living Villages

University of Northampton

Queen Mary, University of London

Queen's University of Belfast

Royal Veterinary College (winner)

University of Surrey

University of Ulster

International Collaboration of the Year

Sponsored by Martineau

Aston University

University of Birmingham

Cardiff University (winner)

London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London

University of Salford

University of Stirling

Outstanding Support for Students

Sponsored by CRM Students

Birmingham City University

University of Essex

Loughborough and Coventry Universities (winner)

University of Sunderland

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service

University of York

Research Project of the Year

Sponsored by IP Group

University of Central Lancashire and University of Stirling

Lancaster University

University of Leicester

London South Bank University

University of Reading

University of Strathclyde (winner)

Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development

Sponsored by Revise

Bournemouth University

Cranfield University

Harper Adams University College (winner)

London South Bank University

Newcastle University

University of Southampton

Outstanding Contribution to Innovation and Technology

Sponsored by Elsevier

Durham University

Heriot-Watt University

University of Leicester (winner)

University of Reading

University of Salford

University of Sussex

Outstanding Contribution to Leadership Development

Sponsored by Leadership Foundation for Higher Education

University of Bath

City, University London

Durham University (winner)

King's College London

Collaborative project submitted by the University of Nottingham

University of the West of England

Entrepreneurial University of the Year

Sponsored by NCEE

University of Central Lancashire

Coventry University (winner)

University of Edinburgh

University of Northampton

Plymouth University

University of York

Outstanding Engineering Research Team of the Year

Sponsored by General Dynamics

Brunel University

City, University London

University of Greenwich

University of Sunderland

Surrey Space Centre, University of Surrey

University of York (winner)

Most Innovative Teacher of the Year

Sponsored by Higher Education Academy

Elizabeth Burd, Durham University

Lea Ann Dailey, King's College London

Nisha Dogra, University of Leicester

David Gibson, Queen's University (winner)

Alex Wright, University of Bath

The Lord Dearing Lifetime Achievement Award

Sponsored by Communications Management

There is no shortlist for this category.

Tessa Blackstone (winner)