At a ceremony held at Buckingham Palace yesterday, Cranfield University received its fourth Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education from His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall.
The University has received the prestigious award in recognition of its education and research on water and sanitation for developing countries over a 25-year period.
The event was attended by Cranfield’s Chancellor, Baroness Young of Old Scone; the University’s Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor, Sir Peter Gregson; and Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Energy, Environmental Technology and Agrifood, Professor Simon Pollard.
Baroness Young said, “It was a real honour to receive the award in recognition of Cranfield’s world-class research and education around water and sanitation. Over the last 25 years, Cranfield has established improved water services which have benefited people’s quality of life in some of the world’s most impoverished areas, drawing on its extensive UK-based research. Our work in water and sanitation is one of many of examples of how the university has positively impacted the lives of millions of people around the world in significant ways, and we are grateful to have received this prestigious award.”
One of the projects acknowledged as part of the award includes the innovative Nano Membrane Toilet which the university has pioneered in conjunction with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Last year, four members of the Nano Membrane Toilet team travelled to Ghana to understand potential users’ views and ideas about the toilet’s design and development, and the university hopes to bring it to Africa for trials soon.
The award also recognised the work of WSUP (Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor). Cranfield University was one of the organisation’s founders, and it is estimated that, to date, it has helped provide over one million people with clean drinking water, and some 400,000 with improved sanitation.
The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes are awarded every two years to universities and colleges for applied research shown to be producing practical benefits for ordinary people. They are the UK’s most prestigious form of national recognition open to a UK academic or vocational institution.
Previous Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Cranfield include:
2011: world-leading work in aviation safety through research and training in air accident investigation, which has made a major contribution to international aviation safety;
2007: international role in humanitarian demining; through integrated training programmes, consultancies and in-country support, the University played a unique role in developing sustainable national capacities in landmine clearing; and
2005: Fellowship in Manufacturing Management; a unique and innovative programme designed for strategic-level managers with careers in the manufacturing industry.
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