Research Council-backed projects to receive Queen's Anniversary Prize

04/12/2017

Seven projects, backed by funding from across the UK’s research councils, have been announced as recipients of Queen’s Anniversary Prizes – one of the most prestigious awards in higher education.

The Prizes are part of the honours system and are awarded every two years by The Queen on the Prime Minister’s advice. UK universities and colleges were invited in October 2016 to submit entries on any aspect of their work for assessment against the scheme’s criteria of excellence, innovation and practical benefit, to the institution itself and UK education, and to the UK economy and society and for public benefit in general.

In total, 21 UK universities and colleges of further education were recognised – seven of which are funded by the research councils. These include:

University of Glasgow, The Historical Thesaurus of English, a unique resource for scholarship, education and creativity – funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council
University of Surrey, food and nutrition for health – funded by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Institute of Cancer Research – funded by BBSRC, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Medical Research Council (MRC), and Science and Technology Facilities Council
University of Southampton, Optoelectronics Research Centre – funded by EPSRC
Infant Sleep Source Information, Durham University – funded by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
University of Essex, Institute for Social and Economic Research – funded by ESRC
The University of Edinburgh, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health

The Prizes, unique in the honours system in being analogous to honours to individuals but granted to an institution as a whole (irrespective of the area of work recognised), will be presented in February 2018 by a member of the royal family at a ceremony to be held at Buckingham Palace.

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