University of Birmingham Win at the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Awards

Chamber award pic 2022 - on stage
The University of Birmingham team on stage collecting their award.

We are thrilled to have been crowned winners of the Excellence in Skills and Education award at this year’s Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Annual Awards and Dinner, held on 4 March at The ICC Birmingham. Our colleagues at the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston Park Hotel, also celebrated their success, winning the award for Excellence in Contribution to the Community.

Excellence in Skills and Education

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce awarded the Excellence in Skills and Education to us because, “the University of Birmingham is home to an expansive academic community of staff and students, alumni and partners; a place for open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing, and dissemination of knowledge. Drawing on expertise of employers, business leaders and alumni, the university supports learners to make connections to the world around them, whilst delivering University employability modules across a range of teaching formats in areas such as sustainability, inclusivity, data science, leadership, and digital skills.”

Our ambition is to establish the University of Birmingham as a top 50 global University, as well as strengthen our connection to our civic roots in the city. This award highlights our core strengths and values as a regional driver of growth as well as showcasing how we build effective relationships with industry and others to share our knowledge across key global challenge areas such as sustainability, inclusivity and leadership.

Excellence in Contribution to the Community

The team from Edgbaston Park Hotel also celebrated their success, winning an award for Excellence in Contribution to the Community. Alongside key sustainability initiatives and local produce procurement initiatives, the hotel went one step further during the pandemic to support NHS workers, providing over 2,000 Covid-safe rooms to front-line staff. Throughout this period, university staff who have been at the forefront of COVID-19 research and testing could also access discounted rooms. This ensured staff had somewhere to stay that was close to work to minimise their need to travel and other pandemic-related stress.

Excellence in Sustainability

We were also shortlisted for the Excellence in Sustainability award, flying the flag for sustainability and social responsibility with our significant partnerships with business across research, business support, education and the student experience, as well as a strong focus on how our entire campus, both here and in Dubai, becomes net zero by 2030.  

Overall, the recognition of the University as a key partner for business and the community at both the civic and global level and across so many core challenges is a true testament to the academics and professional services working here. We look forward to many more to come!