Ulster University was hailed as a “force for good in fostering peace, prosperity and cohesion” as it won the top prize at the Times Higher Education Awards 2024.
Ulster was named University of the Year in recognition of its role as an anchor institution in a region that has undergone rapid change in the quarter-century since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
The award honoured the completion of Ulster’s £364 million Belfast campus, creating a vital connection to a historically underserved community, backed up with a schools programme designed to boost higher education participation among the city’s young males.
The judges were also impressed by the securing of a €44.5 million (£37 million) investment from the Irish government for the development of Ulster’s Derry/Londonderry campus, making it a groundbreaking cross-jurisdictional project.
The significance of such efforts to ongoing peace and collaboration were underscored by Ulster’s role as host to the US president, Joe Biden, on his visit to mark the Good Friday Agreement’s 25th anniversary.
The judges said these achievements “demonstrated the university’s growing influence and status in the island of Ireland, and as a force for good in fostering peace, prosperity and cohesion”.
This was the 20th anniversary of the awards – dubbed the “Oscars of higher education” – which span 20 categories covering the full range of university activities. This year’s ceremony, focusing on achievements at UK and Irish institutions during 2022-23, was held at the ICC in Birmingham.
The THE Outstanding Achievement Award went to Lord Melvyn Bragg, recognising his two and a half decades at the helm of BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time, which brings university expertise on topics spanning history, science, philosophy and religion to audiences around the globe.
Elsewhere, there were two wins each for the University of Manchester, which topped the Outstanding Support for Students and the Research Project of the Year: STEM categories, and for RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, which scooped the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year prize and saw educationalist Jenny Moffett named Most Innovative Teacher of the Year.
This year’s awards attracted more than 700 entries – a new record – with 70 institutions making the final shortlists.
John Gill, THE’s editor, said this year’s winners were “walking in the footprints of an incredible cohort of awards nominees stretching back 20 years”, adding that they demonstrated that “even though times are tough, the creativity and energy in UK and Irish universities remain undiminished”.
“It is a privilege for THE to have the role it does in celebrating your successes, and on the occasion of our 20th anniversary we thank you, and look forward to championing you for years to come,” Mr Gill said.
Times Higher Education Awards 2024: the winners
University of the Year
Ulster University
THE Outstanding Achievement Award
Lord Melvyn Bragg
Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year
University of East London
Outstanding Entrepreneurial University
University of Dundee
Highly commended: Imperial College London
International Collaboration of the Year
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, in collaboration with external partners
Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community
London South Bank University
Outstanding Technician of the Year
Jodie Chatfield, University of Nottingham
Research Project of the Year: STEM
University of Manchester
Outstanding Marketing/Communications Team
University of Stirling
Highly commended: Abertay University
Business School of the Year
Chester Business School, University of Chester
Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership
University of Exeter
Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year
Felix Driver, Royal Holloway, University of London
Highly commended: Angela Creese, University of Stirling
Widening Participation or Outreach Initiative of the Year
University of Cumbria
Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
University of Bradford
Outstanding Estates Team
University of Plymouth
Outstanding Library Team
University of Edinburgh
Highly commended: Dublin City University
Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year
RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Outstanding Support for Students
University of Manchester with the University of Manchester Students’ Union
Highly commended: London South Bank University
Most Innovative Teacher of the Year
Jenny Moffett, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Bournemouth University
Highly commended: Edinburgh Napier University
Learn more about the winners in our special publication
Read advice from the THE Awards 2024 winners and finalists on breaking ground in teaching, environmental leadership, research practices, working with communities and organisations beyond their institutional walls, and much more, in this special THE Campus Spotlight collection.
