Queen's Anniversary Prize
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The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education is a biennially awarded series of prizes awarded to Universities and Colleges in the further and higher education sectors within the United Kingdom. Uniquely it forms part of the British honours system, to date rounds have occurred in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2005.
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History The Prizes scheme was set up in 1993 by The Royal Anniversary Trust with the consent of the Queen and the approval of the Prime Minister and all political parties, and of the Charity Commission. Prizes are awarded biennially. Uniquely in the field of education, these Prizes sit within the national honours system. They recognise and honour outstanding achievement and excellence in UK universities and colleges.
The Royal Anniversary Trust has operated the scheme over this first decade using funds that remained from generous donations by industrial, commercial, professional and other bodies to celebrate Her Majesty's fortieth anniversary of accession in 1992, and also with the substantial support of the Corporation of London, and others.
Purpose & objectives The Queen's Prizes scheme highlights high-quality work taking place in the vital sectors of higher and further education. It promotes excellence in UK universities and colleges through its awards.
A Prizewinner must be able to demonstrate outstanding work at world-class level in order to receive a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher & Further Education.
How the Prizes scheme works In the autumn of the commencement of each biennial round, all universities and colleges across the UK are invited to make a single entry. They can offer any subject area or type of work or project which they have initiated and in which they remain currently engaged, but the entry must demonstrate outstanding achievement and benefit brought to the institution and more widely.
Following the closing date, usually at the end of March, all entries are subject to a rigorous assessment process. From April through to September of the second year in the biennium, entries receive multiple assessments from independent Readers (assessors) and by the Trust. As the sifting of entries proceeds, specialist Readers with particular expertise in the subject of the entry or with particular knowledge of the nature or type of institution are invited to comment on the entries. In some cases, supplementary questions are put back to the institutions reflecting queries raised by the Readers. Comments are also sought from departments of state, funding bodies, professional societies and elsewhere.
All entries are reviewed against the background of the differing focus and type of work taking place within higher and further education. In making its selection, the Awards Council look in particular for signs of initiative, innovation and originality, as well as the benefit to the nation, where outstanding achievement has been clearly demonstrated.
Public announcement of the Prizewinners At its September meeting, the Awards Council select Prizewinners whose names are then put forward to the Prime Minister for him to advise the Queen. The Queen assents to the Prizewinners. The Prizes are then announced at a reception at St James's Palace in November.
The Royal Honours Ceremony and the National Celebratory Banquet The following February Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, presents the Prize Medal and Prize Certificate at an honours ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The previous evening the Trust hosts a banquet at Guildhall in the City of London, bringing together the Prizewinners with leading figures in economic, social and cultural life at home and overseas.
The Prizewinners are entitled to use The Queen's Prizes logo for a period of four years.
