Tonight's ceremony is a chance to celebrate. It is a time for the individuals and teams who are doing such great things within their institutions to step into the spotlight and take the applause.

It is also a night to reflect more broadly on the quality of our universities, their distinct but complementary missions and the inspiration that they nurture so successfully, Our sincerest congratulations go to all our winners, but also to each and every one of you for making it on the shortlist.

– John Gill, editor, THE

The winners were announced on 29 November 2012, view the photos of the ceremony in our Flick 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

Brunel University

University of Exeter

University of Nottingham

Plymouth University

University of Strathclyde (winner)

University of Sunderland

Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community

British School of Osteopathy (winner)

University of Greenwich

Northumbria University

Southampton Solent University

University of Stirling

University of Strathclyde

Outstanding Employer Engagement Initiative

Sponsored by Communications Management

Bournemouth University

University of Cumbria

University of Essex

University of Lincoln (winner)

The Open University

University of Sunderland

Excellence and Innovation in the Arts

Anglia Ruskin University

De Montfort University

Edge Hill University

Northumbria University (winner)

Queen Mary, University of London

University of Salford

Widening Participation Initiative of the Year

Sponsored by UNITE

London South Bank University (winner)

Queen Mary, University of London

Regent's College London

Swansea University

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

University of York

Outstanding ICT Initiative of the Year

Sponsored by European Electronique with Fujitsu

University of Central Lancashire

University of Huddersfield

Loughborough University

University of Manchester

University of Southampton (winner)

University of Warwick

Research Project of the Year

University of Bath

Cardiff University

De Monfort University

London School of Economics and Political Science

Queen Mary, University of London (winner)

University College London

Business School of the Year

Sponsored by Blackwell's Bookshop

Brunel Business School, Brunel University

Cass Business School, City University London

University of Exeter Business School

Lancaster University Management School (winner)

Manchester Business School, University of Manchester

Plymouth Business School, Plymouth University

Most Improved Student Experience

Sponsored by Campus Living Villages

University of Chester (winner)

Imperial College London

University of Lincoln

Queen's University Belfast

University of Roehampton

York St John University

Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers

Sponsored by Vitae

University of Edinburgh

Imperial College London

King's College London

University of Strathclyde

University College London

University of York (winner)

Outstanding Support for Students

Sponsored by CAPITA

Brunel University

University of Glamorgan (winner)

Harper Adams University College

University of Kent

Queen's University Belfast

Robert Gordon University

International Collaboration of the Year

Sponsored by SGH Martineau

De Montfort University

University of Dundee

University of Nottingham

University of Salford

University College Plymouth St Mark & St John

University of Westminster (winner)

Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development

Sponsored by Berkeley First

Cardiff Metropolitan University

University of Central Lancashire

University of East London

Middlesex University

University of Nottingham (winner)

University of Southampton

Outstanding Contribution to Leadership Development

Sponsored by Leadership Foundation for Higher Education

University of Bath

University of Cambridge

Heriot-Watt University

Newcastle University (winner)

Northumbria University

Universities Human Resources

Entrepreneurial University of the Year

Sponsored by NCEE

University of East Anglia

University of Edinburgh

University of Huddersfield (winner)

University of Northampton

Plymouth University

University of Strathclyde

Outstanding Contribution to Innovation and Technology

Sponsored by Elsevier

Bournemouth University

Durham University (winner)

University of Glasgow

University of Greenwich

University of Leicester

University of Reading

Most Innovative Teacher of the Year

Sponsored by Higher Education Academy

Mark Brandon, The Open University (winner)

Aristotle Kallis, Lancaster University

Carl Senior, Aston University

David Smith, University of York

Matthew Smith, Birmingham City University

Paul Tracey, University of Salford

The Lord Dearing Lifetime Achievement Award

Sponsored by Communications Management 

There is no shortlist for this category.

John Goddard (winner)