Read: New awards launched to celebrate higher education levelling up champions

New awards have been launched to celebrate the work of universities across the UK who are leading the way in levelling up. 

Following on from the success of the inaugural Levelling Up Awards hosted by former Education Secretary Rt Hon Justine Greening and MP for Darlington Peter Gibson, the Levelling Up Universities Awards will showcase the best of the higher education sector.

The Awards will recognise those organisations that are committed to being truly purpose-led and showcase the excellent work being carried out by universities to level up the UK.

Organisations throughout the UK are being asked to nominate universities, staff or students for the 14 different award categories which are focused on equality of opportunity at key life stages. 

The categories are based around the Levelling Up Goals launched earlier this year by Rt Hon Justine Greening. The Goals provide a benchmark for activity focused on driving equality of opportunity from early years through to careers, alongside barriers such as the digital divide, health and infrastructure.  

Justine Greening said: “Following on from the success of our first Levelling Up Awards earlier in the year, we wanted to celebrate the amazing work taking place in universities across the UK. The Levelling Up Universities Awards will recognise those institutions that are playing an anchor role within their communities to level up the UK.

“Accelerated by the pandemic, we are seeing a real shift in the expectations of universities and their role as anchor institutions. The Levelling Up Goals are a powerful new framework for policy makers, businesses, universities and others to report on their own impact and identify areas where more needs to be done.”

The Levelling Up Universities Awards will be broadcast online on a date to be confirmed. Nominations will close on Friday 4 June. For more information and to nominate visit www.levellingupgoals.org/nominate 

The Levelling Up Universities Awards 2021 categories are:

• Strong foundations in Early Years 

• Successful school years 

• Positive destinations Post 16+ 

• Right advice and experiences 

• Open recruitment 

• Fair career progression 

• Widening access to savings & credit 

• Good health and wellbeing 

• Extending enterprise 

• Closing the digital divide 

• Infrastructure for opportunity 

• Building homes & sustainable communities 

• Harness the energy transition 

• Achieve equality, through diversity & inclusion