Staff celebrated at the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence 2026

Nominator summary: The General Legal Advice Clinic represents a sustained and innovative model of clinical legal education that has operated continuously since January 2013. Final-year law students deliver free and confidential legal advice to members of the public, guided by qualified solicitors and an experienced tutor, covering areas including housing, employment, family, consumer and contract law. Every year the team helps over 250 local people, staff and students with legal issues.The Law School has recently been nominated for the "Best Contribution by a Law School" category at LawWorks & Attorney General's Student Pro Bono Awards. 

Nominator summary: Annie created a multi-faceted conversion strategy, building a team that has transformed international applicant conversion at the University of Portsmouth. What began as a single‑person role has become a sector‑leading, high‑impact Global Conversion function shaped entirely through her vision, creativity and determination. She has built a team culture defined by warmth, ambition and genuine care, supporting international student ambassadors, mentoring placement students, and guiding her team with exceptional leadership. The conversion function she built now plays a central role in international recruitment, offering a personalised, reassuring and responsive experience that applicants consistently describe as “unlike anything offered by other universities”.

Nominator summary: The Student Casework Team has delivered an exceptional, university- wide transformation of casework services within a single year. The team completed a full rewrite of the Appeals, Complaints, Student Conduct and Fitness procedures. The team also introduced a new investigation model by securing investment to recruit a central cohort of skilled specialist Investigating Officers, delivering a high-quality service which has significantly reduced burden and stress on academic staff and provided a timelier, less stressful, investigation for students. This model freed an estimated 3,731 hours of senior academic staff time.Their work has made student casework clearer, fairer, more supportive, and more efficient—delivering meaningful improvements for students and staff.

Nominator summary: The Gravitational Wave Astronomy Research Group is internationally recognised for their leading work, where they operate one of the primary analysis pipelines for detecting stellar collisions. The "Gravitational Wave Tactile Universe" demonstrates their commitment to inclusion, breaking down barriers for the blind and visually impaired community and the broader outreach work, including developing a project to connect gravitational-wave research with local naval families, demonstrates a commitment to making their research accessible and relevant to our local communities. By building a world-class gravitational-wave hub from scratch, the team has secured Portsmouth’s seat at the table of all major global gravitational-wave astronomy projects.

Nominator summary: In under two years, the School has delivered a sector-leading transformation successfully integrating two distinct academic units into a cohesive, high-performing and future-focused School, driving increased student demand, generating over £2.4m in research income, and redefining impact across education and society. Externally, the School delivers significant societal and policy impact, including leading the England's Drowning Prevention Strategy 2026, leading the Sport Wales “Thriving Environments” programme, influencing mental health practice across national sport systems, contributing to UK Government policy discussions and delivering community-focused initiatives supporting refugees, neurodivergent communities and underrepresented groups.

Nominator summary: John has strengthened the University’s external engagement and professional standing within the security sector through the development of strategic partnerships with two significant professional bodies: The Security Institute and the Association of Security Consultants.  The establishment of these formal partnerships, has strengthened the University’s external presence in a field where professional recognition, networks, and trusted relationships are essential and valuable.The achievement lies not simply in forming connections, but in creating formal partnership foundations that are supporting student recruitment, research collaboration, student placement opportunity, professional engagement, knowledge exchange, and institutional reputation.

Nominator summary: Kate Whitman has made an outstanding and wide-ranging contribution to sustainability culture at the University of Portsmouth, going far beyond the requirements of her academic role. She organised an Ad Free Cities event, bringing together academic experts and industry speakers to critically examine how advertising can be redirected as a force for positive social and environmental change, sparking important conversations across disciplines. She also led the 'Sew the Love' campaign, encouraging staff and students to engage with conscious consumption and extending the life of garments. Alongside this, Kate has organised repair cafes on campus, creating practical, hands-on spaces where the community can extend the life of clothing and everyday items rather than discarding them.

Nominator summary: Now in its' third year, the Student Impact Awards recognise and celebrate the positive impact our students have in the city and region. In so doing, the awards also provide a platform through which the University can demonstrate our positive contribution as a key pillar of the community. The organising of the Student Impact Awards is based on true collaboration across the University and Students' Union - including HR, Recruitment, Marketing & Communications, Careers & Employability, Community Engagement and CCI.This year the Student Impact Awards achieved 341 student nominations for awards and the trophies were designed by one of our Level 5 students, which incorporates into its design the Portsmouth 100 celebration.This has developed these awards into a true cross-university event.

Nominator summary: The 3D Workshop team demonstrates exceptional technical expertise, innovation, and dedication in supporting students, teaching, research, and creative practice across the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries and the wider University. They enable ambitious, high-quality creative work to sit at the heart of everything they do, with the workshop providing an open, inclusive space where three-dimensional making can grow.The team collectively brings over 40 years of technical experience across cabinet making, upholstery, fine art, heritage restoration, craft, and advanced digital fabrication. Collectively, this is a team that not only supports technical delivery but actively shapes student experience, strengthens industry connections, and contributes meaningfully to the wider community.

Summary: The Navigating Neurodiversity group is an 8‑session, neuroaffirmative group intervention co‑delivered by Student Wellbeing and Disability Advice. It provides Autistic, ADHD and AuDHD students with a safe, relaxed and inclusive space to connect with peers, explore strengths, build confidence and develop practical strategies for university life. The group is intentionally facilitated in a way to reduce barriers to participation through sensory friendly materials, craft activities, fidgets and flexible attendance, ensuring students can engage in a way that feels comfortable and empowering. The group is now an important part of the Student Service’s inclusive wellbeing offer - one that exemplifies cross team collaboration and the University’s commitment to ensuring every student has a space where they feel they belong.

Summary: The Community Oral Health Research team at the UoP Dental Academy has delivered a sustained programme of community-engaged research and practice since 2022, focused on reducing health inequalities and improving access to care across underserved communities in Portsmouth. Working in partnership with Portsmouth City Council, NHS organisations, charities and local community groups, the team has engaged directly with populations living in areas of high deprivation, including people at risk of homelessness, migrants, refugees, children and older adults. Delivered through sustained engagement and cross-sector collaboration, this programme empowers communities, improves access to digital tools and health services, and reduces inequalities in our local communities.

Summary: James spearheaded the creation of the Student Voices: Talking Men’s Mental Health Podcast Series, a pioneering and student-led initiative addressing one of the most urgent challenges facing higher education: male student mental health. Demonstrating exceptional initiative and leadership, James independently conceived and delivered a platform designed to break down stigma and amplify student voices. In a context where male students are significantly less likely to seek support - despite high levels of need - James worked collaboratively with Wellbeing colleagues to develop an authentic, accessible podcast series rooted in lived experience. He actively engaged students throughout, creating a trusted space where individuals felt empowered to share personal stories and discuss mental health openly.