While would be a stretch to say that this year has been a return to normal for universities, we have at least left behind the exceptionally tough operating environment of the Covid-hit years.

This year’s THE Awards, however, cast minds back to 2021-22, when institutions had made it through the initial chaos of the pandemic, and were starting to regain their equilibria and reassess their strategies in light of the changed circumstances. It was a year in which Covid no longer dominated every aspect of universities’ activities, and the 650 submissions across 20 award categories reflect that unique moment when universities continued to deal with adversity, but also raised their eyes to the horizon.

The result was a fascinating range of entries reflecting the excellence that exists throughout universities across the UK and Ireland, of which we can be truly proud. As ever, it is THE’s great privilege to be able to support and celebrate these achievements with all of you – congratulations to everyone shortlisted.

– John Gill, editor, THE

The winners were announced on 7 December 2023. You can view photos of the ceremony in our Flickr album.

Below you will find the shortlist – click on a category title to read an abridged submission from each finalist.

You can also read an e-book profiling all the winners.

And if you were a finalist, you can download assets to help promote your success.

Watch the highlights video

University of the Year

Anglia Ruskin University (winner)

University of East London

University of Exeter

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

University of South Wales

University of York

THE Outstanding Achievement Award

Dame Nancy Rothwell, The University of Manchester

Business School of the Year

Aston Business School

Huddersfield Business School (winner)

King's Business School, King's College London

Lancaster University Management School

Manchester Metropolitan University Business School

Oxford Brookes Business School

International Collaboration of the Year

University of Birmingham

University of Essex

Heriot-Watt University

University of Liverpool in collaboration with Arup and the United Nations Development Programme

Sheffield Hallam University in collaboration with the United Nations’ International Organisation for Migration (IOM) (winner)

University of Strathclyde

Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Coventry University (winner)

Dublin City University

University of Dundee

Lancaster University

Northern Accelerator (the universities of Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Teesside and York)

Most Innovative Teacher of the Year

Cheryl Allsop, University of South Wales

Bill Buchanan, Edinburgh Napier University (winner)

Esyin Chew, Cardiff Metropolitan University

Emilie Edwards, Middlesex University (highly commended)

Paul Giladi, Manchester Metropolitan University

Louise Taylor, The Open University

Rebecca Warren, University of Essex

Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership

Edinburgh Napier University

University of Essex

Loughborough University

University of Portsmouth

University of Reading (winner)

Royal Northern College of Music

Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Anglia Ruskin University

University of Bradford

Buckinghamshire New University

Cardiff Metropolitan University (winner)

University of Central Lancashire

University of West London

Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community

Anglia Ruskin University

Durham University

University of Exeter

King's College London

University of London

University of Plymouth (winner)

Outstanding Entrepreneurial University

Brunel University London

University of Edinburgh

Kingston University

London South Bank University

Royal Northern College of Music (winner)

Swansea University

Outstanding Estates Team

Cranfield University (highly commended)

Lancaster University

Loughborough University

Manchester Metropolitan University

University of Salford

York St John University (winner)

Outstanding Library Team

Arden University

Edge Hill University

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (winner)

London South Bank University

Newcastle University

Newman University

Outstanding Marketing/Communications Team

London Metropolitan University

Norland College

The University of Nottingham

University of Portsmouth

Queen's University Belfast

Sheffield Hallam University and The University of Sheffield (winner)

Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year

Alison Brettle, University of Salford

Mark Brown, Royal Holloway, University of London (winner)

Hannah Cloke, University of Reading

Garry Duffy, University of Galway

Julia Hörnle, Queen Mary University of London

Alison Kington, University of Worcester

Jenny Mercer, Cardiff Metropolitan University

Ruth Northway, University of South Wales

Outstanding Support for Students

University of East Anglia

University of Essex

London South Bank University

Northumbria University (winner)

University of Southampton

University of Stirling

Outstanding Technician of the Year

Michael Bayliss, University of Liverpool

Heather Burgess, Ulster University (highly commended)

Paul Clews, Keele University

Alex Counsell, University of Portsmouth

Jason Daff, University of York (winner)

Kirsty Massetti, King's College London

Ketan Ruparelia, De Montfort University

Kate Thornton, Queen Mary University of London

Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

University of Aberdeen

University of Central Lancashire

Liverpool John Moores University (winner)

Royal Holloway, University of London

University of Strathclyde

University of Winchester

Research Project of the Year: STEM

Birmingham City University

Cranfield University

University of Essex

University of Huddersfield

University of Nottingham (winner)

University of Strathclyde

Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year

University of East London (highly commended)

Edinburgh Napier University

University of Galway (winner)

University of Liverpool

Scotland's Rural College

University of Surrey

Widening Participation or Outreach Initiative of the Year

University of Central Lancashire (winner)

Dublin City University (highly commended)

University of Galway

King’s College London, in collaboration with the University of Leicester, Newcastle University and The Open University

Loughborough University

Queen's University Belfast and the Institute for Research in Schools