Awards 2015
The inaugural AUDE Higher Education Estates and Facilities Awards took place at the Gala dinner on the last evening of the annual AUDE 2015 conference. The Awards are designed to highlight and celebrate the exceptional achievements of universities and those who work in them.
The judges were on the lookout for teams, projects and individuals who have made a significant contribution to enhancing excellence and ensuring university estates provide best value to support the institutional mission and promote professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness.
The Awards provided an excellent opportunity to showcase sector achievements and allow everyone to learn from knowledge of the very best practice taking place in our institutions today.
AUDE University Impact Initiative of the Year Award
Winner: Social Informal Learning Team led by Mike Clark - University of Brighton
This year’s winner of the AUDE University Impact Initiative of the Year Award, the University of Brighton, impressed the judges with their Social Informal Learning Spaces (SILS) project.
SILS was primarily developed around research and the realisation that the role of the university is changing and so universities need to provide a different experience for the student. Brighton is a very large university based on five campuses spanning Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. The number of academic awards made each year totals around 6,500.
Download the case study here.
AUDE Chair's Award for Long Term Contribution
Winner: Colin Blair – University of Huddersfield
The AUDE’s Chair Award for Long Term Contribution was awarded to Colin Blair at the University of Huddersfield.
In November 2013, the University of Huddersfield was named Times Higher Education University of the Year. This follows on from a highly successful 2013 in which the University was awarded the two Queen's Awards for Enterprise and in 2012 was awarded prestigious Entrepreneurial University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards. The University is also in the top 10 in England for teaching excellence and is ranked in the top 10 nationally for undergraduate and postgraduate employability, student placements in industry and the number of student and graduate businesses supported.
The University continues to invest in its campus to ensure students have access to the best possible facilities. In January 2014, Huddersfield opened a new £22.5m building which provides students and staff with a unique hub combining easier access to library, computing, sport, leisure, and eating, social and meeting facilities.
Download the case study here.
The AUDE Emerging Talent Award
Winner: Ian Gould-Jones - Liverpool John Moores University
Helpdesk Manager Ian Gould-Jones at Liverpool John Moore University has been honoured for his dedicated customer service over the last 12 months.
The judges felt that Ian’s positivity, drive and change management skills have been pivotal to enhancing service delivery and it was felt that Ian’s work has driven cultural change across the Estate Management service. His inclusive approach has involved all staff, creating a model for engagement that all organisations could benefit from. Liverpool John Moores is a large vibrant community of 25,000 students from over 100 countries world-wide, with 2,500 staff and 250 degree courses.
Download the case study here.
AUDE Estates/Facilities Team of the Year Award
Winners:The Lancaster University Team led by Director Mark Swindlehurst and Lisa Williams
Many congratulations to the Lancaster University team, winners of the first AUDE Estates/Facilities Team of the Year Award.
Lancaster, also recently won the 'Best University Halls' award in the National Student Housing Survey of 120 UK institutions –the fifth year running they have achieved this Award. Lancaster ranks second in the UK in the Times Higher Education Student Experience survey for 2013 (their second year at this ranking). Lancaster are one of only five institutions to achieve the International Accommodation Quality Mark, awarded when satisfaction among international students is 90% or higher. Lancaster is also in the top one percent of universities in the world, rising to 131 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2014-15. The University has over 2,500 staff and more than 12,000 FTE students based at its UK campus, with nearly 3,000 based overseas. They maintain on-going relationships with over 65,000 former students.
Download the case study here.
