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University of Leicester Vice-Chancellor to receive lifetime contribution to business award

Posted on 03/02/2012
University of Leicester

University of Leicester Vice-Chancellor to receive lifetime contribution to business award

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester is to be honoured with a Lifetime Contribution to Midlands Business Award, it has been announced.

Professor Sir Robert Burgess will receive the award amidst a gathering of leaders from business, industry, civic life and academia in Birmingham on Friday 3 February.

The Midlands Business Awards recognise outstanding contributions to business, industry and society. Previous winners are Lord Digby Jones; Geoffrey Robinson MP and Lord Bhattacharyya, head of the Warwick Manufacturing Group.

At the awards ceremony, the University of Leicester is also competing in three other awards: Midlands Enterprising University of the Year; Midlands Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Midlands Innovation of the Year.

The fact that the University of Leicester makes an outstanding contribution to innovation and technology is a view also shared by the judges of the 2011 Times Higher Education Awards. In receiving the accolade, the University of Leicester also became the first university to win five successive Times Higher Awards.

Professor Sir Robert said: “I am delighted to receive this award which highlights the work of the University of Leicester as a business with higher education at its very heart. While I am delighted to be honoured in this way, the achievements that have been made would not have been possible without the considerable help and support of my many colleagues in the institution over the past 12 years. I would, therefore, like to thank them for assisting me in developing what has become a very successful University.”

Harj Sandher from the Midlands Business Awards said: “We are delighted that Sir Robert joins the list of winners of this, the most prestigious award we give out. His achievements in making the University of Leicester a power house of innovation and technology deserve recognition.”

Professor Sir Robert Burgess is one of the most well-respected Vice-Chancellors and sociologists in the UK. During his time as Vice-Chancellor, the University of Leicester has secured its position as a top 20 UK university and considerably developed its involvement in the local community, forged numerous links with industry and encouraged entrepreneurship amongst colleagues, creating an enterprise culture.

Since his arrival in 1999, the University’s turnover has more than doubled to £260 million and its estimated value to the City is £140 million per annum. The student population has risen to 23,000 students and he has developed a major capital programme of £1bn over the next 20 years which will provide employment and income to the local and regional economy. He has developed many community activities including the annual International Sculpture Show in the University’s Botanic Garden which brings in over 30,000 visitors each summer.

Professor Sir Robert received a Knighthood for his services to local and national Higher Education in the 2010 New Year’s Honours List, has been Chair of a number of national Committees including the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, the Higher Education Academy and the UUK/GuildHE Teacher Education Advisory Group. He has been a member of many other national Committees including the British Library Board and is currently chairing the UUK/Guild HE Implementation Group on the Higher Education Achievement Report and Degree Classification on which he has produced three reports. He has recently been invited to Chair the Board of the National Centre for Social Research.