THE University of Strathclyde was named the UK’s University of the Year at the 2012 Times Higher Education Awards in London on 29th November.
The university beat out competition from five other shortlisted institutions to take home one of the most prestigious accolades in higher education, and was praised as a “bold, imaginative and innovative institution” by judges, who congratulated Strathclyde’s close links with business and industry and its commitment to making an impact on the global economy.
The award, which is sponsored by Santander Universities, comes as the 
university’s strategic plan to make the institution a place of ‘useful learning’ comes into fruition. The ‘useful learning’ strategy, which is based on the ideology of Strathclyde’s founder John Anderson, is the foundation of the university’s £350 million project to improve facilities, with the £89 million Technology and Innovation Centre under construction.
University Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Jim McDonald received the award at a ceremony hosted by comedian David Walliams at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Sir Jim said: “This has been a transformational year for the University of Strathclyde, and to be recognised by the Times Higher as University of the Year is a great honour. The award reflects the hard work of staff across the University and their commitment to making a difference to our students, to our community and to wider society.
“Our vision as a leading international technological university has attracted overwhelming support from our partners in both the public and private sectors. This is yet another endorsement of our strategy.
“By working together, we can continue to touch lives around the world, by accelerating the development of new technologies and medicines, informing the development of public policy, supporting the economy, producing graduates ready for business and the professions and helping our industries compete on the global stage.”
John Gill, Editor of the Times Higher Education, said: “The University of Strathclyde stood out as an institution that had an extraordinary understanding of where it was, where it wanted to be and how it wanted to get there. Its focus on ‘useful learning’ had come together in an impressive way in the past 12 months and the judges were clear that it was a worthy winner of the University of the Year title.”
The University was also shortlisted for three other categories, Entrepreneurial University of the Year, Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers and Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community.
Louise Logan
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