Two 'Oscar of Higher Education' nominations for UWS

University of the West of Scotland has been shortlisted for two prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Awards.

The University has been recognised for Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year, and Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year, in the shortlistings revealed today (1 September).

Dr Lucy Meredith, Interim Principal & Vice-Chancellor of UWS, said: “We’re delighted to have been recognised once again by Times Higher Education, with two shortlisted entries.

I’m thrilled to see the innovative ways we support our students recognised by THE, and our Knowledge Transfer Partnership work is truly groundbreaking.

Dr Lucy Meredith, Interim Principal of UWS

“We’re extremely proud of our important work in these areas and I extend my congratulations to the teams involved for being shortlisted for these prestigious accolades.”

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership project saw UWS work with Phoenix Instinct to develop a game-changing ultralight wheelchair – the Phoenix i – which won the $4 million Toyota Mobility Unlimited Challenge in 2020. The vision for the project, which was funded by Innovate UK, was to develop technology that not only provided a technical solution but also empowered the end-user.

UWS’s innovative use of digital technology aimed to improve student retention and satisfaction through a student success project. Using a data-driven, data-informed approach, the University directly contacted students displaying low levels of engagement, enabling a proactive, early intervention approach.

The winner of THE’s Outstanding Achievement Award will be announced at the awards ceremony on 17 November.