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Times Higher Education Awards 2025: shortlist announced

Scores of institutions shortlisted across 21 categories as ceremony for coveted sector prizes heads to Scotland for the first time

Published on
September 4, 2025
Last updated
September 4, 2025
Source: Times Higher Education

The finalists for this year’s??for the UK and Ireland have been named.

More than 120 institutions submitted well over 500 entries in all, with 69 institutions making the final shortlist for this 21st?edition of the awards, dubbed the “Oscars of higher education”.

The 21 award categories cover all aspects of university activity – from innovative teachers and world-class research to outstanding estates teams and international collaborations.

This year also saw the introduction of a new category –?Specialist Institution of the Year?– recognising the crucial role these providers play in UK and Irish HE.

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Competing for the coveted University of the Year award are Heriot-Watt University, Queen Mary University of London, Teesside University, the University of East London, the University of Hertfordshire and the University of Worcester.

Five?institutions lead the way with four appearances each. They are?Aston University, the University of Exeter, the University of Hertfordshire, the University of Salford and the University of Warwick.

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Winners will be announced on 13 November at the EICC in Edinburgh, the first time this ceremony has been held in Scotland.

91茄子?editor?Chris Havergal said that “at a time of unprecedented challenge for higher education, the 91茄子 Awards enter their third decade as a steady and staunch reminder of the exceptional work that continues to take place across the UK and Ireland every day, on campuses and beyond”.

“That we received well over 500 entries for this year’s awards is a sure sign that the sector’s commitment to transforming lives for the better is undimmed. We offer our sincere?congratulations?to all those institutions and individuals shortlisted – it really is an achievement to have reached this stage in a very competitive year.

“础迟 91茄子, we have long recognised that the sector draws so much strength from its diversity and that there is no single model of success. That’s why we are delighted to see such a wide range of providers making the shortlists, including for the new category of Specialist Institution of the Year, which honours some of our truly unsung heroes.

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“We are also hugely excited to be taking this year’s awards ceremony to Scotland for the first time. We look forward to you joining us in Edinburgh on 13 November for a special celebration of innovation and excellence in higher education, which in?these times go unrecognised or underappreciated far too often.”

The awards ceremony will be the finale to this year’s Student Success UK&IE event. Learn more about the finalists’ work , and for more information on the awards, visit .

Shortlists for?Times Higher Education?Awards 2025

Business School of the Year

International Collaboration of the Year

Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year

Most Innovative Teacher of the Year

Sponsored by?Advance HE

Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership

Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community

Outstanding Entrepreneurial University

Sponsored by?NCEE

Outstanding Estates Team

Outstanding Library Team of the Year

Sponsored by?Kortext

Outstanding Marketing/Communications Team of the Year

Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year

Outstanding Support for Students

Sponsored by?Studiosity

Outstanding Technician of the Year

Sponsored by?Technician Commitment

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

Research Project of the Year: STEM

Specialist Institution of the Year

Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year

Sponsored by?Jisc

Widening Participation or Outreach Initiative of the Year

91茄子?Outstanding Achievement Award

There is no shortlist for this category. The winner, chosen by?Times Higher Education, will be announced at the awards ceremony.

University of the Year

Sponsored by?Adobe

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Reader's comments (5)

Is there an award for "most job losses achieved", or "highest salaries awarded" or may "the most useless and incompetent management team", or "worst financial arrangement with the money markets" Competition for those awards would be intense as it's a very high bar in today's UK HE system.
"Research project of the Year: STEM" - University of West London?? You can tell the proper Universities don't take these awards seriously by the massive overrepresentation of third-rate institutions.
A bit unkind! The nominations also include U of Cambridge for that award.
Some of the awards are a bit naff as well: Outstanding Estates Team, come on! The list is a bit managerial biased if you ask me. And as for Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, I was suprised to see U of Sussex was not nominated. And as for Outstanding Marketing/Communications Team of the Year should that mot be "Biggest Liars of the Year"? It's a very managerialist sort of event isn't it?
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Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion I think the ironies concerning this award are so many and various that one simply would not know where to begin with formulating any comment

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