Both nominations have a strong focus on climate and sustainability

Exeter nominated for two THE Awards including Business School of the Year

The University of Exeter is in the running for two ‘Oscars of higher education’ in recognition of its outstanding research and teaching.

The University was shortlisted in two categories in the 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) Awards, which celebrate talent and performance across the higher education sector: Business School of the Year and Research Project of the Year: STEM.

Professor Lisa Roberts, University of Exeter Vice Chancellor, said: “Outstanding research and education have the capacity to improve the lives of people around the world. That is our mission, and we are so proud that our impact has been recognised in these nominations. Congratulations to our shortlisted candidates.”

Both nominations have a strong focus on climate and sustainability. The University of Exeter Business School is a finalist for Business School of the Year for the second time in three years, and hope a raft of our initiatives that recognise the crucial role of business in addressing the climate emergency will catch the judges’ eye.

Business School researchers last year launched NetZeroPlus, a UKRI-funded initiative to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere that will form a vital part of the UK’s bid to reach net zero by 2050, as well as the National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Hub (NICER), which will spearhead efforts to create new business models for a circular economy.

Last year also saw the opening of the Exeter Sustainable Finance Centre, which will focus its research and teaching on how finance can contribute to the solutions to climate change and rising inequality.

Professor Alexandra Gerbasi, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the University of Exeter Business School, said: “It’s an honour to be nominated, and a great testament to the hard work of staff over the past several years as we work together to develop practical solutions that will help business address the climate emergency, through our research, teaching and partnerships.”

There was also success in the Research Project of the Year: STEM category, with University of Exeter researchers nominated for a project in which they helped to create Africa’s largest network of Marine Protected Areas.

Research carried out in partnership with the government of Gabon and collaborators including the Wildlife Conservation Society has underpinned the creation of nine new marine parks and 11 aquatic reserves covering 56,000 km2, protecting globally significant populations of marine vertebrates and fish.

Dr Kristian Metcalfe, of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall said: “We are delighted that our work, which is helping to protect globally significant populations of marine vertebrates and fisheries resources, has received this recognition.  

“Creating an effective Marine Protected Area network isn’t a quick process, but thanks to the hard work of our team and a wide range of people and organisations we can say that over a quarter of Gabon's waters are now protected, with our research providing a strong scientific basis to new legislation that will increase the protection of the natural environment.”

More than 70 institutions and teams are in the running, the standouts from over 550 entries from across the UK and Ireland. The 20 categories cover the full range of university activity – both academic and professional services, from front-line staff through all levels of leadership and management.

John Gill, THE’s editor, said the awards will “reflect universities doing extraordinary things in extraordinary times, when the pandemic continued to force higher education and all who work in it to respond to an unprecedented challenge.

“That universities did so with alacrity and creativity is clear from the truly exceptional stories told in the awards submissions.”

This year’s awards will again be presented at the Hilton London Metropole on the evening of 17 November. For more information, visit www.the-awards.co.uk.

Date: 6 September 2022