The Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education (formerly Queen's Anniversary Prizes) are 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, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025.
The Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education recognise outstanding work by UK colleges and universities that shows quality and innovation and delivers real benefit to the wider world and public through education and training. The Prizes are the highest national Honour awarded in UK further and higher education.
History The prize is awarded by the Royal Anniversary Trust, a registered charity founded in 1990 to develop a program to mark 1992 as the 40th year of Elizabeth II's reign as British monarch. The program had these four goals: celebrate the anniversary establish an educational award promote cultural awareness of the development of the United Kingdom's constitutional monarchy to promote commerce, industry, and the advancement of education
Past winners have been recognized for work in a wide range of disciplines such as science, engineering, arts and the creative industries, education, the humanities, the environment and medicine.
The next round of winners will be introduced in Autumn of 2025.
The educational award which the Royal Anniversary Trust established was the Queen's Anniversary Prize. In October 2024 the name of the Prizes scheme changed to the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Higher and Further Education.
Prize winners
1994
+CategoryWinning institutionWinning department or divisionRationale Engineering and Technology Aberdeen College Training courses relating to explosion risk UK's leading academic and research department in its field Environment and Conservation Bournemouth University Services to scientific conservation International Engagement Burton & South Derbyshire College Anglo-French collaboration: vocational training for the polymer industry Education & Training Chippenham College Using work experience as a basis for National Vocational Qualifications Education & Training City and Islington College Widening access and progression to higher education Education & Training Croydon College The successful development of flexible learning workshops Engineering & Technology Heriot-Watt University Petroleum Engineering UK's leading academic and research department in its field Environment Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine Centre for Environmental Technology leading player in the development of a Master of Science degree for environmental management Education & Training Lancaster University Opportunity for those with special needs Engineering & Technology Loughborough University partnership with the aerospace industry Medicine, Health & Welfare Luton Sixth Form College encouraging student volunteer involvement in health education, especially for HIV prevention Humanities, Social Sciences & Law, Round 1 Prize-winner, 1994 Queen's University Belfast Servicing the Northern Ireland Legal System The Arts and Creative Industries Royal College of Art promoting manufacturing design for the needs of senior citizens Engineering & Technology University of Manchester Research and technology transfer to industry Education & Training University of Plymouth Widening access to education in a scattered rural community Medicine and Health University College London Towards the control of cancer Science & Mathematics University of Durham Improving awareness of sciences and engineering in schools The Arts and Creative Industries University of Glasgow Offering university cultural resources to those outside the university Science & Mathematics University of Leicester Developments in astronomy, space and planetary science International Engagement University of London, Wye College External Programme Professional development for agriculturalists in overseas territories Humanities, Social Sciences & Law University of Oxford Exploitation of intellectual property for wealth creation
1996
+CategoryWinning institutionWinning department, division or project Education & Training Carlisle College Educational access throughout life International Engagement College of North West London Eastern European Links: expertise and skills transfer Education & Training Greenhead College Performance monitoring to realise student potential Science & Mathematics Hackney Community College Bringing young women into the sciences Medicine, Health & Welfare King's College London Medical law and ethics: teaching, research and public debate. Engineering & Technology Leeds Metropolitan University Technology transfer and support for small and medium sized businesses. International Dimensions Liverpool Hope College The Ladakh Project: teaching and training in India for Tibetans. Education & Training Middlesex University Off-campus learning, training and research for commerce, industry and public services Environment Queen's University Belfast Environmental research & training in partnership with industry. International Engagement School of Oriental and African Studies International distance learning: economics and finance for senior executives Education & Training Open University Teacher training: opening up careers through part-time distance learning Education & Training The Sheffield College Braille skills accreditation: providing a new and recognised national qualification The Arts University of Edinburgh Music in the community: a course for advanced music students relating to public work in the community. Science and Mathematics University of Manchester Biological sciences: multidisciplinary teaching and research. Engineering & Technology University of Strathclyde Electrical power engineering: teaching and research. The Arts London Institute Paper conservation: teaching and technology Humanities, Social Sciences & Law University of Birmingham The Wroxeter Project: archaeology, technology and the community. Medicine, Health & Welfare University of Exeter Diabetes and vascular health education and research: microvascular processes and associated work. Medicine, Health & Welfare University of Hull Social work: consultancy, teaching and research. International Engagement University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology Technical education. technology transfer and academic and trade relations with Japan Medicine, Health & Welfare University of Oxford Molecular medicine: collaborative research and transfer of results. Engineering & Technology University of Surrey Engineering for the space industry: teaching and research for satellite operations. Science and Mathematics University of York Computer science: teaching, research and transfer of technology.
1998 +CategoryWinning institutionRationale Education & Training MidKent College A model programme for customer service Education & Training Birmingham College of Food, Tourism & Creative Studies Education and training for the hospitality and tourism industries Education & Training City College Plymouth Local outreach centres for retraining and lifelong learning Science & Mathematics Godalming College Research and innovative teaching for 'A' Level science Education & Training Hills Road Sixth Form College Upgrading facilities and teaching in sports and music for use by the college and the region International Dimensions Loughborough University International development engineering: teaching, training, research and consultancy for developing countries. Education & Training Middlesex University Creation of materials for technology teaching in schools. International Dimensions Royal Holloway, University of London Information security: teaching and research in a crucial IT field. The Arts Royal Northern College of Music Teaching of musical instruments to large groups. The Arts The Arts University College at Bournemouth Education for the film industry. Humanities, Social Sciences & Law University of Sheffield Humanities research: new cultural access through IT. The Arts London Institute Creativity and innovation in fashion education Science & Mathematics University of Cambridge Mathematics applied: the Isaac Newton Centre. Medicine, Health & Welfare University of Dundee Minimal access surgery: new techniques and treatments. Medicine, Health & Welfare University of Exeter Children's health and exercise: research and dissemination. Science & Mathematics University of Glasgow Computing science: teaching and research. Engineering & Technology University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology Engineering and technology in industry: advanced degree programmes. Humanities, Social Sciences & Law University of Reading Shakespearean research: Internet and the Globe Theatre. Education & Training University of Wales, Lampeter Accreditation and up-skilling of workers from the voluntary sector. Medicine, Health & Welfare University of Wales College of Medicine Chemiluminescence: research and development in clinical diagnosis. Engineering & Technology University of Wales, Swansea Industry oriented degrees in materials engineering.
2000 +CategoryWinning institutionRationaleEngineering & TechnologyBanff and Buchan College of Further EducationMarine engineering education for the fishing industryEducation & TrainingBridgwater CollegeForest School: an outdoor educational curriculum for the very youngEngineering & TechnologyCardiff UniversityManufacturing Engineering Centre: partnership with industryEducation & TrainingGreenhead CollegeCurriculum development for sixth form studentsInternational EngagementHastings College of Arts and TechnologyTechnical education and training for the United Arab EmiratesMedicine and HealthImperial College of Science, Technology & MedicineResearch and training in surgeryEducation & TrainingLauder CollegeEmployment and Enterprise Centres: services for unemployed peopleEngineering & TechnologyLoughborough UniversityOptical engineering: applications and knowledge transferEnvironment and ConservationMiddlesex UniversityFloor Hazard Research Centre: education, training and researchInternational EngagementOxford Brookes UniversityEducation and training for humanitarian aid workersEnvironment and ConservationQueen's University BelfastPalaeoecology Centre: research in environmental historyThe Arts and Creative IndustriesRoyal College of ArtConservation of art, craft and designThe Arts and Creative IndustriesRoyal Northern College of MusicWind ensemble music: commissioning, training and performanceScience and MathematicsThe Sixth Form College, ColchesterSTEP (Science and Technology Enrichment Programme)Environment and ConservationUniversity of SheffieldIntegrated environmental outreach to industry and governmentMedicine and HealthUniversity of AberdeenClinical applications of medical imaging technologyEngineering & TechnologyUniversity of BathPower transmission and motion controlMedicine and HealthUniversity College LondonChild Health: research and educationInternational EngagementUniversity of GreenwichFood security in the developing world: practical projects, education and trainingScience and MathematicsUniversity of NottinghamMagnetic resonance imaging: scientific research and developmentMedicine and HealthUniversity of OxfordCentre for Tropical Medicine: treatment, research and educationEngineering & TechnologyUniversity of SalfordInformation technology for the construction industryHumanities, Social Sciences & LawUniversity of Surrey RoehamptonNational Centre for Research in Children's Literature
2002