Educate North Awards 2019: The Winners

Entries had seen a significant hike this year, helped by a major radio campaign carried by event partners Smooth Radio North West, Smooth North East and Heart Yorkshire following a tie-up with parent company Communicorp UK and The Ministry of Results.

Proceedings were hosted by former BBC North West political editor Jim Hancock and got underway in inspirational fashion with a keynote address from entrepreneurial academic Professor Tony Young, a leading urology surgeon and the National Clinical Lead for Innovation at NHS England. 

And that proved the perfect introduction for the students from the universities of Durham, Huddersfield and Central Lancashire to make their live three-minute pitch for the University Entrepreneurs’ Grant. The £1,000 award – as decided by the audience – eventually went to Dave Clayton from the University of Central Lancashire for his fascinating business idea Wot wud u do?

Our warm thanks to category sponsors partners Huawei, Communicorp UK, Heart Yorkshire,  Smooth Radio North West, Smooth North East , Heart Yorkshire and Protocol Education. A special raffle also raised hundreds of pounds for our chosen charity, Variety, the children’s charity.  

And our heartfelt appreciation once again to Dr John Kennedy CBE, Patron of the Educate North Awards and sponsor of the pre-dinner reception.

Educate North Awards 2019: The Winners

Business/Industry Collaboration – HE/FE Sector

Winner: Backstage Academy

Also nominated:

• Career College North East
• Greater Manchester Higher – FastTrackers project
• National Employer Training – a department of Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education
• Newcastle College & Responsive Engineering
• Preston’s College & Leyland Trucks
• The Launch Group & Newcastle College
• The Manchester College & Flow Creative
• Tyne Metropolitan College – Department of Engineering
• Wigan & Leigh College Business Services Team – Apprenticeship Engineering Project for Electricity North West Limited

Business/Industry Collaboration – University Sector

Winner: University of Central Lancashire & St. Catherine’s Hospice Collaboration – Developing Futures

Also nominated:

• Leeds Beckett University – Speech and Language Therapy Students Summer School 
• Newcastle University – Creative Fuse North East
• Newcastle University – Estate Support Service
• University of Central Lancashire – Creative Innovation Zone
• University of Central Lancashire – Lancashire Science Festival
• University of Chester – Chester needed professional help, and got it!
• University of Chester – Eco-Innovation Cheshire and Warrington

Social Mobility Award – HE / FE Sector

Winner: Birkenhead Sixth Form College – An Engine of Social Mobility

Also nominated:

• Cambian Tyldelsey School Team
• Learning Curve Group 
• Oldham Sixth Form College
• Preston’s College – 14-16 Alternative Provision
• The Manchester College
• The Manchester College – The Ideas Foundation Employability Bootcamp
• Tyne Coast College – North East Sports Academy

Social Mobility Award – University Sector

Winner: University of Chester – STEM Green-Power Car Challenge

• Cumbria Collaborative Outreach Programme – Hello Future 
• Leeds Beckett University & the University of Huddersfield – Progression Module
• Newcastle University – North East Collaborative Outreach Programme
• Newcastle University Careers Service
• Northumbria University – NUSTEM Primary School Partnership

Business Collaboration & Partnerships Award

Winner (HE/FE Sector): Newcastle College

Winner (University Sector): Chester Business School, Centre for Work Related Studies – Senior Leaders Master’s Degree Apprenticeship

Also nominated:

• Preston’s College & the Central Lancashire Construction Skills Hub
• The Manchester College – The Ideas Foundation Employability Bootcamp
• University of Chester – Chester needed professional help, and got it!
• University of Chester & Brio Leisure – Social Value Partnership 

Employer Engagement Award – HE/FE Sector – Sponsored by Smooth North East

Winner: National Employer Training – a department of Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education

Also nominated:

• Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education – Workforce Skills
• Lancaster and Morecambe College LMC Business – Health and Social Care Workforce Recovery Initiative
• Learning Curve Group 
• The Launch Group
• The Manchester College – Employability & Partnership Team
• The Manchester College – The Ideas Foundation Employability Bootcamp
• The Sheffield College

Employee Engagement Award – University Sector – Sponsored by Smooth North East

Winner: Newcastle University – Professional Placements in Psychology 

Also nominated:

• Chester Business School, Centre for Work Related Studies – Senior Leaders Master’s Degree Apprenticeship
• Leeds Beckett University – Employer Engagement: Get Hired
• Leeds Beckett University – Employer Engagement: Women in Leadership
• Leeds Law School, Leeds Beckett University – Law Enrichment Week
• Leeds Trinity University – myFuture Team
• nucleargraduates Development Programme
• University of Huddersfield – Chartered Manager Engagement Project

External Relations Team of the Year

Winner: University of Chester – Westminster Centre for Research and Innovation in Veterans’ Wellbeing

Also nominated: 

• Newcastle University – Realising Opportunities Central Team
• Newcastle University & Newcastle University Students’ Union – Anti Social Behaviour Working Group
• Newcastle University Students’ Union – North East Solidarity and Teaching
• Oldham Sixth Form College
• Policy@Manchester
• Policy@Manchester – On Cohesion
• Wigan & Leigh College – Marketing and Student Liaison Teams

Innovation Award

Winner: Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education – Estuary Student TV Curriculum Model

Also nominated: 

• Bury College – Information Literacy Initiative
• Durham and Newcastle Universities – ACTION for Impact
• The Literacy Company
• UCLan Community Health and Midwifery Sexual Health Team
• University of Bradford – This is Bradford
• University of Central Lancashire – midwifery and TELT team
• University of Central Lancashire – UCLan Publishing
• University of Cumbria – ‘About Being’ project

Student Experience Award – HE/FE Sector – Sponsored by Ministry of Results

Winner: Lancaster and Morecambe College – Tackling Inactivity Project

Also nominated:

• Bury College – Exceptional Student Experience
• Huddersfield New College 
• New College Durham Contact and Enrolment Centre
• New College Durham – Higher Education School Enhancement Projects
• Newcastle College University Centre – Student as Producer Initiative 
• Oldham Sixth Form College
• Preston’s College – ESOL teaching team with support from recruitment/admissions advisor and wider College support services

Student Experience Award – University Sector – Sponsored by Ministry of Results

Winner: Teesside University – Future Facing Learning: Empowering Digital Learning at Teesside University

Highly Commended: University of Bradford School of Management

• Chester Business School – Event Management Partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council
• Edge Hill University – Catalyst Team
• Leeds Beckett University – Student Services
• Newcastle University Careers Service – Guidance Team
• University of Central Lancashire – cJam
• University of Chester – Sport and Active Lifestyle: Active Wellbeing programme

International Partnership Award

Winner (HE/FE Sector): Tyne Coast College – South Shields Marine School

Winner (University Sector): University of Chester China Centre – Business Research Institute

Also nominated:

• Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education – Erasmus Project
• Lancaster & Morecambe College – Erasmus+ APT Apprentice Preparation Training Project
• UCLan Community Health and Midwifery Sexual Health Team

Research Project of the Year

Winner: University of Central Lancashire – Stories2Connect Research Project

Also nominated:

• Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education – Erasmus Project
• New College Durham – A research-based induction to aid student transition
• New College Durham – Implementing Student Journal Clubs
• University of Chester – Eco-Innovation Cheshire and Warrington

Research Team of the Year

Winner: Liverpool John Moore’s University – Face Lab

Also nominated:

• Newcastle College University Centre Research Team 

Teaching Excellence Award – Sponsored by Huawei

Winner: Professor Howard Williams, Professor of Archaeology, University of Chester

Also nominated: Dr Glenn Adam Hurst, University of York

• Burnley College Sixth Form Centre – Teaching Team
• Richard Davis, University of Central Lancashire
• Rachael Hall, Preston’s College
• John-Mark Reid, Preston’s College
• Dr Sarita J Robinson, University of Central Lancashire
• Zac Wilkinson, Preston’s College
• Sarah Wright, Edge Hill University

UK Leadership Award – Sponsored by Smooth North West

Winner: Angela Williams OBE, Huddersfield New College

Also nominated: 

• Emma Forrest-Leigh, Grimsby Institute
• Alison Maynard, Deputy Chief Executive, Tyne Coast College

UK Apprenticeship Award – Sponsored by Huawei

Winner: The Juice Academy

Also nominated:

• Hartlepool College of Further Education

Students’ Union of the Year – Sponsored by Heart

Winner: Newcastle University Students’ Union 

Also nominated:

• Leeds Trinity Students’ Union
• Northumbria Students’ Union

Further Education College of the Year – Sponsored by Protocol

Winner: Nelson and Colne College 

• Barnsley College
• Bishop Burton College
• Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education
• Hartlepool College of Further Education
• New College Durham
• Oldham College
• Preston’s College
• Tameside College

University of the Year

Winner: Newcastle University 

• Edge Hill University

Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Canon Professor Tim Wheeler