On Monday 2 October the university welcomed 280 Professional Services colleagues to come together and celebrate our collective achievements over the last year at the second Annual Professional Services awards ceremony.

Held at the East Midlands Conference Centre, colleagues that attended the event included shortlisted teams and representatives from Professional Services from across our global campuses in the UK, China and Malaysia.

The evening started with a drinks reception featuring live music from Alumnus Owen Jones and magic tricks from the university’s own academic magician, Todd Landman. Guests were welcomed into the banqueting hall with music from local acapella choir, Totally Vocally, and the awards ceremony was formally opened by host Professor Jeremy Gregory, followed by a welcome speech by Vice Chancellor Professor Shearer West.

The opening speeches highlighted how this year’s event had built on the inaugural 2022 Professional Services Awards with new themes of ‘ambition’ and inclusivity. Through a phenomenal 286 nominations, all submissions showcased how teams went over and above to support others and develop new services and capabilities acorss our fantastic global university.

Professor Shearer West welcomed attendees to the event, “As Vice Chancellor, I am immensely proud of the dedicated and passionate Professional Services staff who work tirelessly to make this institution the exceptional place of learning and growth that it is. The University of Nottingham is renowned for its world-class education, cutting edge research and vibrant campus life. But none of that is possible without the hard work and expertise of our Professional Services who ensure that our daily lives here are enriched and supported”.

Winners for each of the eight award categories were announced by the Professional Services Executive Group; David Hill, Paul Greatrix, Jaspal Kaur and Margaret Monckton.

Registrar Paul Greatrix reflected that, with more than 280 nominations across the eight award categories, it had been an even harder task in 2023 for the judging panel to pick winners and highly commended teams. Chief Finance Officer, Margaret Monckton, highlighted that it had been a year of great ambition for all our Professional Services teams as we work collaboratively to delivery a huge portfolio of strategic change against a backdrop which has called upon our UoN community to come together as one like never before.

During the dinner, attendees were once again entertained by Totally Vocally and the evening concluded with the presentation of ‘Team of the Year’.

A full list of winners can be found below.

Winning Categories

Embodying University Values – Digital & Technology Services People Board

Enhancing the Campus Experience – Estates & Facilities Grounds Team

Contributing to Sustainability – Members of the UoN Sports Team

Fostering Creativity & Discovery – Careers Advisory Service UNM

Embedding Collaboration – Assessment Rehearsal Team

Supporting Potential – Researcher Training & Development Team

Solving Problems & Improving Lives – UoN Houses and Campus Services

Team of the Year – Assessment Response Team

Thank you to all Professional Services teams who contributed to making this second PS Awards such a special occasion and for everyone who contributed to the inspirational, inclusive and celebratory atmosphere of the event.

To read the list of full nominations across all categories and see the videos of shortlisted categories, please see the event Sway. An event video and full set of professional photos will be shared later this month and will also feature on the Professional Services Awards website.