The University of Worcester has been named as a finalist in this year’s University of the Year award, by Times Higher Education.
Widely viewed as the top accolade a UK university can achieve, the award honours an institution that has demonstrated exceptional performance, innovation and impact across the academic year. It is the fourth time in the last decade that Worcester has been shortlisted for the award, having previously been a finalist in 2016, 2019 and 2020.
Professor David Green CBE DL, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Worcester said: “Being shortlisted for this highly competitive award is a major achievement – especially at such a tough time for so many in the region. To be shortlisted 4 times in 10 years is a remarkable record. It is a tribute to the hard work, imagination and innovation of students, graduates and staff at the University as well as our wonderful partners in business, further education, health, the schools, law firms, sports organisations, creative industries and more.”
Central to the shortlisting was the University’s track record on graduate employment and the importance placed on preparing students for the world of work.
Professor Green said: “This year we are in it to win it. We have been top for jobs across all multi-disciplinary universities in the UK for the past years.
Employability of our graduates is at the heart of our work at the University of Worcester. Our graduates make such a difference for the good in so many fields spanning nursing, the health professions, teaching, the creative industries, business, science, sport, law and more.”
The University of Worcester has the highest rate of sustained employment, further study or both, for any multidisciplinary university in the UK, according to the Government’s own Longitudinal Education Outcomes data 2017-2025.
Sarah Speck, Chair of Governors, University of Worcester, said: “I am delighted that the University has once again been shortlisted for University of the Year in the Times Higher Education Awards 2025.”
She said: “This recognition reflects our commitment to excellence, our strong record in graduate employability, and the dedication of our staff, students and partners. We’re proud that every Worcester graduate leaves us with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to succeed and thrive in their careers and make a positive contribution to society.”
The news has been praised by several others in the region and beyond:
Rt Hon. Justine Greening, former Secretary of State for Education and Chair of the Purpose Coalition, said: “Congratulations to the University of Worcester on being shortlisted for the Times Higher Education University of the Year. Worcester is an engine of social mobility, with 97% of students coming from state schools and many the first in their family to go to university or living with a disability.
“The University of Worcester is creating opportunities for those that need it most and its strong graduate employment figures show the power of education to change life chances and strengthen local communities.”
Worcester MP Tom Collins said: "I’m really pleased that our university has been nominated for this award. Learning the real-world skills that help people succeed in work is often seen as an optional extra in academia, but the University of Worcester puts this training front and centre. The nomination is really well deserved, and I wish all the team all the best for the final judging!"
Councillor Lynn Denham, Leader of Worcester City Council, said: “It’s wonderful news. We know that the University is a superb organisation, which has grown over the years and is an absolutely integral part of our city.”
She continued: “The University is delivering for the region on so many fronts, training nurses, healthcare staff and more, while showing vision for the future by opening the Three Counties Medical School, a fantastic facility which is providing the workforce our NHS needs.”
Sharon Smith, Chief Executive, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: “I’m really excited that the University has been shortlisted to win one of the most prestigious awards in the country, it’ll be a great payback for everything they’ve done, and everything they’ve achieved.”
“It means so much for the businesses in this region to have the University of Worcester on their doorstep, and now it’s shortlisted for this award, it means they have a university which is recognised in such high regard across the whole country in the county that businesses can tap into for all of that talent on a daily basis, it’s just fantastic.”
Mark Garnier, Conservative Member of Parliament for Wyre Forest Constituency, said: “I am delighted that the University of Worcester has been shortlisted for this prestigious award. Worcester provides degree courses for not just our county, but the whole country, and beyond.
"That gives us all a wider perspective, and I am delighted that school leavers from Wyre Forest will have the opportunity to go to such a good university without having to leave the county.”
Sir Nicholas Coleridge, Provost at Eton College, Chairman of Historic Royal Palaces and former President of Condé Nast International, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to hear of the University of Worcester being shortlisted for University of the Year.
"The strength of the University of Worcester is that it manages to be a thoroughly modern and relevant institution while being part of one of the great heritage cathedral cities. As someone who lives quite close to the university, I am repeatedly struck by the ambition and focus of the place, with a culture that many other academic organisations would crave.”
Simon Murphy, Deputy Chair of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are very lucky to have a wonderful university on our doorstep that provides a constant stream of highly skilled and motivated health professionals.”
Times Higher Education Editor, Chris Havergal, said: “At a time of unprecedented challenge for higher education, the THE 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.”
Chris continued: “The fact 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.”
Chris added: “At THE, 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.”
Chris said: “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.”
