Teesside University wins prestigious University of the Year award

Teesside University has been named University of the Year 2025 at the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Awards, in recognition of its achievements and transformative impact across the UK’s higher education landscape.

The University of the Year is the latest in a series of major achievements which have reinforced the University’s reputation as one of the UK’s most successful and ambitious modern universities, which was exemplified by the recent award by the Daily Mail as the Modern University of the Year 2026.

Judges at the THE Awards praised Teesside University as ‘unashamedly ambitious for its students’, and for ‘delivering in spades’ on its ‘clear sense of mission’.

They also highlighted the key role Teesside University plays within the regional economy, ‘retaining a laser focus on local skills needs’, and the extensive campus redevelopment and impressive teaching facilities.

Professor Paul Croney OBE, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Teesside University, said: 'Receiving the accolade of University of the Year is a tremendous honour and a fitting culmination of our recent successes.

'I am immensely proud. It reflects the dedication of our staff, the ambition of our students, and the strength of our partnerships with businesses, stakeholders and our community.

'This recognition confirms that Teesside University is rightly regarded as one of the country’s leading higher education institutions and it is a powerful endorsement of our commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, alongside our outstanding research and knowledge exchange.'

In addition to being named University of the Year, Teesside was also a finalist in the Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community category, further highlighting its role as a vital anchor institution for the region. This project involved a partnership with Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation to host and deliver a Ramadan football programme, further uniting local community and faith groups.

Teesside University continues to deliver on its mission to transform lives and economies.

As one of only 15 Universities to be awarded Gold across all areas of the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023, it continues to deliver outstanding graduate outcomes, increase international mobility participation, and prepare graduates for a successful career.

In the last Research Excellence Framework (REF), the majority of our research was rated as world leading or internationally excellent, and earlier this year Teesside was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in all areas for its apprenticeship provision.

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