Our achievements
Transforming Lives. Inspiring Change.
From award wins to opening a new campus, we have achieved great things at the University of Northampton.
Read about our achievements below.
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- June 2024: The University was placed in the top 100 in the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for reducing inequality, supporting students and improving sustainability; these global rankings featured over 1,900 Universities across the world.
- May 2024: Mr Mark Lawson and Mrs Morcea Walker were announced as the University’s two new Pro-Chancellors at this year’s Summer Graduation ceremonies.
- May 2024: Action plans detailing the steps Northamptonshire will take to achieve net-zero were agreed at the University’s second Sustainability Summit. The plans will now become the first schedule for the Northampton Sustainability Accord.
- February 2024: StudentCrowd placed Northampton in the UK top 20 for affordable accommodation (against 70 other towns and cities).
- January 2024: Ofsted gave the University a ‘Good’ rating overall for its seven apprenticeship programmes. The report praised University teams for their passion and dedication to providing excellent apprenticeships that employers describe as “inclusive and life-changing” for apprentices from many backgrounds.
- December 2023: The University became a signatory to the Technician Commitment, which makes a pledge to create a more positive culture for the technical community in higher education and research.
- November 2023: Leading professional body the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) accredited the University of Northampton’s Biomedical Science degree, giving a massive boost to the employment credentials of future graduates.
- October 2023: The University launched a new, major strategy for the next five years and an Estates and Campus Framework. The Strategy outlines our core mission, values, priorities and our purpose and social impact. The Framework details our priorities for sports, health and wellbeing, the student and staff experience, working with our community, student accommodation and academic expansion.
- September 2023: The University and West Northamptonshire Council joined forces to achieve Net-Zero by 2045 with the launch of Towards a Net-Zero West Northants (TANZ West Northants). This will will see a range of free resources, research, and expert advice opened to charities and businesses of all sizes.
- September 2023: Awarded Silver in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for both Student Experience and Student Outcomes.
- June 2023: In the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for 2023, the University of Northampton came 29th in the world under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10 ‘reducing inequalities’ and 25th in the world for SDG 15 ‘life on land’.
- May 2023: The University welcomed more than 150 delegates from over 40 different businesses, charities, HEIs and local government authorities to Waterside for our first Sustainability Summit.
- February 2023: University students and staff have worked tirelessly on Waterside ecology work to support the humble hedgehog. Their efforts were recognised when the University received the Gold Standard as a Hedgehog Friendly Campus.
- October 2022: The University celebrated 25 years since creating its Student Mental Health and Counselling service, believed to be the first such dedicated service at a UK university.
- September 2022: The University opened a number of new Research Centres and Research Groups this year, including one that spans the entire University and combines several areas of specialist, expert knowledge. The Centre for the Advancement of Racial Equality was officially launched by our Vice Chancellor, Anne-Marie Kilday.
- August 2022: The University welcomed its new Vice Chancellor on 1 August. Before joining UON, Professor Anne-Marie Kilday held a senior leadership role as Pro Vice Chancellor for Student Experience and University Community at Oxford Brookes University.
- July 2022: The University of Northampton joined 94 other UK universities to announce its divestment from the fossil fuel industry.
- June 2022: The University joined forces with West Northamptonshire Council, North Northamptonshire Council and Northamptonshire Children’s Trust to form the Social Work Teaching Partnership
- May 2022: The Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) results showed the University increased the percentage of its research assessed to be ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
- April 2022: The University was named one of the world’s top 25 Higher Education institutions (HEIs) for tackling inequality in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
- March 2022: The Queen’s Green Canopy tree planting initiative, which marks the monarch’s Platinum Jubilee, put down roots at the University of Northampton with the planting of a micro orchard of seven heritage fruit trees.
- February 2022: The University announced the appointment of a new Vice Chancellor. Professor Anne-Marie Kilday will assume the post from 1 August 2022.
- February 2022: The University’s long-standing commitment to giving its employees fair pay for a working day has been officially recognised, with accreditation at UK level from the Living Wage Foundation.
- February 2022: The launch of BIG22, a new project aimed at supporting business and social enterprise ideas across Northamptonshire and beyond.
- December 2021: The Community Safety Partnership, which is made up of representatives from the University’s Estates and Campus Services team, West Northamptonshire Council and Northamptonshire Police, and the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, received £813,000 Home Office funding to support practical crime prevention measures to tackle violence against women and girls across the County.
- November 2021: The Engine Shed – home to the Students’ Union – received a plaque from the National Railway Heritage Awards (NRHA) to celebrate its award-winning restoration. The Grade-II listed former railway building was brought back from dereliction when it was restored by the University in preparation for its move to Waterside campus in 2018.
- October 2021: 140 universities – including University of Northampton (UON) – have backed a new set of commitments on climate action drawn up by Universities UK, including emissions reduction targets and a pledge to champion the UN Sustainable Development Goals Accord.
- October 2021: The University’s Waterside Wellbeing Community initiative – which brings together teams from across the University to support, improve and promote the wellbeing and physical and mental health of those living, studying and working here – announced a number of successes.
- July 2021: Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital achieved University Hospital status. Working with the University of Northampton, the University of Leicester and other academic bodies, a new partnership – University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) NHS Group – has been formed.
- June 2021: The University added its signatory to the Future of Tourism Coalition, which has a global mission to place destinations at the heart of post-pandemic recovery strategies.
- May 2021: The University signs up to the Stand Alone Pledge, making clear the support and guidance it offers to students who are estranged from their parents.
- April 2021: The University signs an MoU to be part of the Nurse Cadets programme. This is designed to introduce young people who are about to leave school to the wide variety of health careers available. Successful applicants are guaranteed an interview at UON if they apply to study a degree here.
- April 2021: The University was named one of the world’s top 30 Higher Education institutions (HEIs) for tackling inequality in the 2021 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. The University was placed 27th out of 699 HEIs in the world, and 11th in the UK, for its performance in working towards goal 10 – Reduced Inequalities.
- April 2021: The University was highly commended in two categories at the 2021 Association of University Directors of Estates Awards. UON was also runner up in the Estates/Facilities Team of the Year and Reaching Higher categories of the awards. This adds to a number of other estates-related awards the University has collected since moving to Waterside in 2018. The full list can be found in our news article.
- March 2021: AccessAble resources launched. These show how accessible the University’s estate, rooms and facilities are, to help disabled staff, students and visitors.
- February 2021: The University pledges to become net zero carbon by 2030.
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- December 2020: The sale of the University’s former Avenue site is confirmed.
- October 2020: The University hosts its first Black History Month Conference and announces the launch of its Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network.
- October 2020: University academics shared their thoughts with the House of Lords COVID-19 Committee inquiry, Life beyond COVID.
- August 2020: Publication of our report Supporting our Community: The University of Northampton’s Response to Covid-19.
- July 2020: Launch of ‘fly-through’ video about how the University has made itself as Covid safe as possible.
- March 2020: The University helped the health service at the start of the pandemic, by providing vacant student rooms to house NHS staff. This kicks off a year of good deeds stories from University staff and students that are summarised on our webpage.
- December 2019: An extra £30,000 is added to The Sir Thomas White’s Northampton Charity fund.
- October 2019: Appointment of Professor Shan Wareing as Deputy Vice Chancellor.
- September 2019: Opening of the University’s new Institute for Creative Leather Technologies.
- September 2019: A report from CSI Solutions finds that the University’s move to Waterside campus has had many environmental benefits.
- July 2019: Launch of the Research Environment Enhancement Fund (REEF) for PGR students.
- May 2019: The University’s Learning Hub wins a prestigious Royal Society of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Award.
- March 2019: University backs Northampton’s ‘Social Echo’.
- February 2019: Launch of Digital Northampton, a project tasked with developing, connecting and promoting Northamptonshire’s digital industries. Backed by the University, one of its aims is to keep UON’s digitally savvy graduates from leaving the town to pursue a career elsewhere.
- February 2019: The University joins 30 other institutions in committing to produce a ‘Civic University Agreement’ in partnership with local government and other major institutions.
- September 2018: Official opening of Waterside campus and first intake of students there. The new campus also sees the University become the first in England to have its own police team.
- August 2018: Launch of the University’s Employment Promise to students.
- June 2017: Awarded Gold by the government for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), praising the quality of our student experience.
- June 2017: Awarded Social Enterprise Gold Mark, an independent guarantee that we put the interests of society above anything else.
- April 2016: University partnered with Northamptonshire County Council and Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation to launch a new social enterprise, First for Wellbeing, an integrated health and wellbeing service considered to be the first of its kind. (The First for Wellbeing service is now a part of Public Health Northamptonshire).
- December 2015: The University released its first social impact report that showed it delivered over £800,000 worth of extra-curricular student volunteering to the local community.
- November 2015: The University was shortlisted for the third year in a row in the ‘Business School of the Year’ category of the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards.
- November 2015: The £8.5m University of Northampton Innovation Centre is officially opened becoming the flagship building for the Northampton Enterprise Zone.
- October 2015: Work commenced on the University’s £330m brand-new Waterside Campus.
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- November 2014: Became the first University to have a £231.5 million bond guaranteed by HM Treasury for its brand-new £330m brand-new Waterside Campus.
- August 2014: Student satisfaction increases to 89% (National Student Survey 2014).
- June 2014: Maintain top 50 UK university placing in the Guardian University Guide.
- February 2014: The University is named Midlands Business Awards Most Enterprising University of the Year (winner).
- January 2014: The brand-new St John’s Hall of Residence was officially opened and was shortlisted in the Best Urban Regeneration Project category of the 2015 Brick Awards.
- November 2013: Times Higher Education Awards University of the Year (shortlisted) and Business School of the Year (shortlisted).
- September 2013: Recognised as the highest climbing university in the Times/Sunday Times University Guide 2014.
- June 2013: Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards Outstanding Leadership and Management Team (shortlisted).
- June 2013: Recognised as a top 50 UK university and the highest climbing university in the Guardian University Guide 2014.
- April 2013: Recognised as the highest climbing university in the Complete University Guide 2014.
- February 2013: Midlands Business Awards Most Enterprising University of the Year (winner).
- February 2013: Awarded Changemaker Campus status by AshokaU and recognised as number one for social enterprise.
- November 2012: Times Higher Education Awards Entrepreneurial University of the Year (shortlisted).
- August 2012: Recognised by HESA as number one for employability amongst full-status universities in England.
- February 2012: Midlands Business Awards Most Enterprising University of the Year (winner).
- November 2012: Times Higher Education Awards Entrepreneurial University of the Year (shortlisted).
- August 2012: Recognised by HESA as number one for employability amongst full-status universities in England.
- February 2012: Midlands Business Awards Most Enterprising University of the Year (winner).
- November 2011: Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards Outstanding International Strategy (shortlisted).
- August 2012: Recognised by HESA as number one for employability amongst full-status universities in England.
- February 2012: Midlands Business Awards Most Enterprising University of the Year (winner).
- November 2011: Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards Outstanding International Strategy (shortlisted).
- June 2011: Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards Outstanding Finance Team (shortlisted).
- June 2011: Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards Research Management Team (winner).
- June 2011: HEFCE/UnLtd Champions of Change Recognition Awards Outstanding HEI Supporting Social Entrepreneurship (winner).
- May 2011: Guardian University Guide – recognised as number one for Value Added.