The University of Nottingham

Academics from The University of Nottingham met Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to receive the highest royal honour for university research.

Staff and students visited Buckingham Palace to receive a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education, the most prestigious national recognition for UK universities.

The biennial award scheme is part of the UK’s national honours system, celebrating excellence, innovation, and impact in the UK’s Higher and Further Education sector. They recognise and celebrate winners’ outstanding work which is making a real and practical impact for the benefit of human progress.

Nottingham won for its research to help feed the world’s growing population – cutting-edge work which encompasses everything from growing more crops with less fertiliser, to improving the nutrition, safety and taste of food on the plate.

The University is home to one of the largest communities of plant, crop, animal and food science experts in the UK, carrying out world-leading research to find new ways of feeding a hungry planet.  Worldwide, around a billion people are hungry and nearly 200 million children are severely malnourished. With the population expected to increase from seven billion to nine billion by 2050, coupled with climate change, the challenge of feeding the world has never been more pressing.

Professor David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor of The University of Nottingham, received the prize from Her Majesty the Queen.

He said: “We are extremely honoured and proud to have received this award for our work in the area of global food security. It recognises the important contribution the University is making to this vital area of research at our UK and Malaysia campuses. It also acknowledges the significant input of our staff and research students in furthering understanding in this field and driving forward new initiatives.”

Professor Greenaway was joined by Professor Yang Fujia, Chancellor of the University, and senior academics involved in global food security research: Professor Jerry Roberts, Professor Katherine Smart and Professor Sayed Azam-Ali. Five postgraduate students also attended the Palace reception as part of the University’s party.

Global Food Security is a key project within the University’s new appeal, Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, which is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. Visit: http://tiny.cc/UoNImpact.