On Wednesday, 6 May, the University of Manchester hosted its annual Making a Difference Awards ceremony to recognise and celebrate the inspiring social responsibility achievements of colleagues, students, alumni and external partners.
The University’s social responsibility activity spans across its research, teaching, public engagement activities and University operations.
The Making a Difference Awards highlight the extensive range of social responsibility initiatives across the University community and include categories such as environmental sustainability, alumni contribution, widening access and student success and equality, diversity and inclusion.
By sharing ideas, time, expertise and innovation, these inspiring projects accept the challenge to deliver real-world change.
Over 140 entries were submitted this year, with judges recognising 14 winners and 20 highly commended. Winners included:
- A project which pioneers a proactive digital approach to reduce relapse risk and improve outcomes for people experiencing psychosis.
- An initiative that re-imagined the traditional graduation ceremony to create an accessible and inclusive event for graduates and their families who may have otherwise been unable to attend.
- Student-led initiatives such as growing organic produce using low-waste methods and donating fresh food to community groups across Manchester, and an outreach project bringing practical dental advice to expectant parents across Greater Manchester.
In addition to the Making a Difference Awards, two University Medals for Social Responsibility were presented, one to a member of staff and one to an alumnus. The recipients were:
- The Bee Cup Scheme, a scheme reducing disposable cup use on campus through a free, app-based reusable cup system
- Alumna Hannah Broughton for transforming support for young people and families through early communication programmes and therapeutic outdoor sessions.
During the event, a special Making a Difference Award was presented to the Manchester Access Programme (MAP). The Award recognised 20 years of the University’s flagship widening access scheme, which supports local Year 12 students across Greater Manchester to access higher education.
“The University of Manchester is a public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester City Centre on Oxford Road.”
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