Cardiff Met Named Times Higher Education UK&I University of the Year 2021

The prestigious award was granted on the basis of Cardiff's student experience, staff culture, and impactful research.

Cardiff Metropolitan University has been awarded the highly prestigious title of UK and Ireland University of the Year 2021 by the Times Higher Education.

Now in their 17th year, the Times Higher Education Awards are a highlight of the academic calendar and a celebration of the very best within the higher education sector in the UK and Ireland.

The award recognizes Cardiff Met's achievements throughout the 2019/20 academic year and the ways in which the University has established itself as a progressive values-driven university with an excellent student experience, staff culture, and impactful research and innovation.

The compassionate leadership and proactive approach to managing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic were also highlighted as features of Cardiff Met's outstanding performance. The University's recent success is evidenced by a track record and trajectory of growth, diversification, and improvement, supported by sustainable finances, with Cardiff Met deemed to be the most financially sustainable university in Wales by the Wales Governance Centre in 2020.

University staff react

Speaking about this outstanding achievement, President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff Metropolitan University, Professor Cara Aitchison said: "The entire Cardiff Met community is absolutely delighted to have won what is widely regarded as one of the most significant awards in the UK higher education sector.

"Winning this national award has put Cardiff Met on the map of high calibre UK universities and builds upon our recent success in major league tables and the award of the title of Welsh University of the Year 2021 by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide.

Seven bold priorities

The University, under the leadership of Professor Cara Aitchison, has worked towards seven bold priorities which were set out in a strategic plan in 2016/17 and refreshed in 2019/20 in response to the pandemic.

These priorities have focused on addressing student demand and industry need by establishing Cardiff School of Technologies in partnership with business to support the growing number of digital and technology companies clustering in the Cardiff Capital Region.

In 2020 the University also launched three Global Academies to develop inter-disciplinary, international and impactful research and postgraduate education to address some of the most entrenched challenges affecting us locally, nationally and internationally.

Global Academies for...

• Health and Human Performance
• Food Science, Safety, and Security
• Human Centred Design

...bring together strengths in education, research, and innovation to deliver improvements to the economy, environment, and individual and societal health and wellbeing.

In addition to improving the experience and outcomes for students, Cardiff Met has delivered cultural change by prioritizing health, wellbeing, equality, and diversity.