Loughborough University has received the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education in recognition of its groundbreaking work in Para and disability sport.
The award was presented by Charles III and Camilla during an honours ceremony held at St James’s Palace.
The prize, part of the UK Honours System, is awarded every two years to up to 20 institutions across the country to recognise outstanding academic achievements that deliver meaningful benefits to society.
Loughborough was recognised for its pioneering research and development in Para and disability sport, including its long-standing partnership with ParalympicsGB.
The honour places the university among the most decorated recipients of the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Higher and Further Education, with eight awards in total — a record surpassed only by University of Oxford.
The university’s work, supported for decades by the Peter Harrison Foundation, has played a key role in helping ParalympicsGB achieve a top-two world ranking at three consecutive Summer Paralympic Games.
Through collaboration within Loughborough Sport’s Para programme, the initiative has created a world-leading support system for athletes. International competitors such as Thomas Young and Yasmina Eissa attended the ceremony, alongside coach George Bates, who recently became Men’s Head Coach with British Wheelchair Basketball.
Professor Nick Jennings, Vice-Chancellor and President of Loughborough University, said: “We are honoured to receive a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in recognition of our collaborative contributions to Para and disability sport.
“We’re incredibly proud that this work continues to make tangible differences across both elite sport and recreational activity. The team wholeheartedly deserved this remarkable accolade.”
Professor Vicky Tolfrey, the university’s lead for Para and disability sport research, said the recognition reflects the strength of partnerships with UK Sport and the wider sporting ecosystem.
“It’s been an incredible day. Our partnerships with ParalympicsGB, UK Sport, and the wider sporting ecosystem continue to deliver incredible results that benefit the whole Para and disability sport landscape. We’re honoured to have been recognised on a national level,” she said.
Following the ceremony, guests attended a celebratory dinner at Guildhall, where leaders in sport and academia gathered to mark the achievement.
The university was further praised for advancing equity and removing barriers to participation, helping empower persons with disabilities to engage in physical activity while improving health and quality of life worldwide.
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