The IHE Awards are our annual celebration of excellence and innovation in independent higher education, recognising the quality, diversity, and impact of IHE Members’ work at an institutional level.
We were delighted to receive over 60 nominations across all categories, making this year's awards the most competitive yet. Thank you to everyone who took the time to craft and submit an award entry. We received some truly outstanding entries that reflect IHE Members' dedication to delivering exceptional educational experiences and an ongoing commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.
Across our award categories, we spotlight initiatives that involve students in shaping their education, courses that inspire through creativity and relevance, digital innovation to enrich learning, support systems that help students thrive, partnerships that benefit learners and institutions alike, and efforts that build global understanding and international engagement. We also celebrate individual contributions to the wider IHE community, honouring IHE Members for their collaborative approach and meaningful impact.
The 2025 shortlists
| Empowering Student Voice | Sponsored by Coole Insight
Recognising IHE Members who are empowering students to use their voice to effect change and make a positive difference in their institution.
Shortlisted:
- AD Education UK
- ASU London
- Bloomsbury Institute
| Inspiring Course
Recognising IHE Members who are transforming the learning experience of students and delivering impact through innovative course design, content and delivery.
Shortlisted:
- The University of Buckingham - Student Selected Component in Clinical Innovation and Enterprise (Medical School)
- The University of Buckingham - Skills and Professional Development (BSc Computing)
- ESCP Business School - Art Thinking
| Technology Enhanced Learning
Recognising IHE Members who are evolving their use of technology to enhance the learner experience.
Shortlisted:
- David Game Higher Education
- SP Jain London School of Management
- ThinkSpace Education
| Supporting Student Success | Sponsored by UCAS
Recognising IHE Members who are taking a proactive approach to supporting students throughout the student journey.
Shortlisted:
- ACM
- ThinkSpace Education
- NMITE
| Outstanding Collaboration | Sponsored by SEER
Recognising IHE Members who are taking innovative approaches to building and maintaining links with industry and/or in the local community.
Shortlisted:
- LCK Academy
- ACM
- ESCP Business School
| Advancing International Education | Sponsored by UCAS
Recognising IHE Members who are implementing initiatives to enhance the international student experience, promote the benefits of internationalisation, and develop their international offer.
Shortlisted:
- Study Group
- Global Institute of Sport
- NCUK University Pathways
| Rising Star
Recognising individuals who are making a difference in the IHE community through their sustained and growing contribution to the work of IHE.
Shortlisted:
- Rob Pennell, Sotheby's Institute of Art
- Emily Lynch, Academy of Live Technology
- Christie Beauchamp, pointblank music school
| Outstanding Contribution to the IHE Community (provider)
Recognising Members’ outstanding contributions to the IHE community at a provider level.
There is no shortlist for this category. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony.
| Outstanding Contribution to the IHE Community (individual)
Recognising Members’ outstanding contributions to the IHE community at an individual level.
There is no shortlist for this category. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony.
Announcing the winners
Winners will be announced at our evening of celebration immediately following the IHE Annual Conference 2025 on Wednesday 26 November at the Royal College of Physicians, London. The IHE Awards 2025 ceremony will take place in the Dorchester Library.
Thank you to our awards judges
- Alex Stanley, National Union of Students (NUS)
- Tom Ritchie, Coole Insight
- Jenny Scoles, Edinburgh Futures Institute
- John Wheeler, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)
- Cheryl Watson, Technology One
- Ailsa Crum, Ailsa Crum Consulting
- Mel Smith, Advance HE
- Alice Speller, National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP)
- Simon Ashworth, Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP)
- Patrick Milne, British Chambers of Commerce
- Des Cutchey, UCAS
- Jacqui Jenkins, The PIE
Meet our Award sponsors
Coole Insight | Sponsors of the Empowering Student Voice Award
Coole Insight is a purpose-driven consultancy specialising in leadership, culture, and organisational development across students’ unions, universities, and private education providers. Grounded in honesty, humanity, transparency, intention, collectivism, and kindness, we help teams reconnect with why they exist and build the systems, behaviours, and cultures that allow people to be at their best. Through strategic support, research, training, and long-term partnerships, we strengthen student experience, deepen student engagement, and elevate student voice to create meaningful change and improvement.
cooleinsightltd.co.uk
@CooleInsight
UCAS | Sponsors of the Advancing International Education Award and the Supporting Student Success Award
UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, is the UK's shared admissions service for higher education. Our services support learners by providing information and guidance in progression to university, college, or apprenticeships. We support 1.5 million students every year to explore higher education, employment and apprenticeships and manage almost three million applications for undergraduate courses at over 380 universities and colleges across the UK. We also provide a range of research, consultancy and advisory services to schools, colleges, careers services, professional bodies, and employers, including apprenticeships.
SEER | Sponsors of the Outstanding Collaboration Award
SEER (Specialist Evidence, Evaluation & Research), a service by Applied Inspiration, supports smaller, specialist and new providers meet OfS requirements relating to data analysis, monitoring, evaluation and research for access and participation plans.
Applied Inspiration also provide consultancy services to develop and draft Access and Participation Plans (APPs). This includes strategy development, leadership, cross-institutional collaboration, communications, Plan drafting, and OfS approval. We also offer smaller APP reviews to providers who wish to develop their own Plans but need expert input in particular areas / final stages.
Finally, we undertake project-based work including evaluation and research projects, reviews on practice and strategy, and coaching to staff delivering access and participation work, as well as offering special toolkits relating to, e.g. measuring educational gain, equality impact assessments and student involvement.