Aston University, a key partner to The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (ROH), has been awarded one of the most prestigious accolades in higher education.
The institution was named University of the Year by The Guardian for its work ‘eradicating the gap in grades between black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) students and their white peers, as well as its emphasis on sustainability.’
The award is calculated on the basis of several measures, including performance and improvement in the Guardian League Tables; how well universities retain students who come from areas of low participation in higher education; and whether black, Asian and minority ethnic students do as well as their white peers.
Professor Phil Begg, Executive Director of Strategy & Delivery, was recently made an Honorary Professor in Health and Life Sciences at the university and in September 2020, ROH welcomed students from Aston Medical School for the first time, thanks to its new partnership with the university. The hospital’s newly-renovated Knowledge Hub will serve as the students' home whilst on placement. You can read more about that here.
Rachel Hall, Universities Editor at The Guardian, said: "Aston came top of the measure this year thanks to its sustained improvement in the Guardian University Guide, along with its commitment to sustainability and a focus on enabling students from a wide range of backgrounds to achieve their potential including graduate employability.”
Professor Alec Cameron, Vice-Chancellor of Aston University, said: “Being named ‘University of the Year’ by The Guardian is a fantastic testament to the hard work of all our staff and students here at Aston. I am incredibly proud of our diverse, creative and dynamic community, who particularly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, have proven that we are truly a team.
"This award is also recognition of the work by our staff across the University to ensure we are giving students the best possible learning experience and supporting them to achieve the best possible outcomes.”
