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Alumni Achievement Awards

Celebrating members of our alumni community who are making an outstanding impact around the world

Our 270,000-strong alumni community are a talented group of people achieving great things in their industries and communities. We can all take pride in the impact that is made by our graduates once they have completed their studies with us.

To honour those making an outstanding impact around the world, we hold the Alumni Achievement Awards each year. 

We know that so many of our alumni do amazing things and we want to be able to recognise alumni at any time. As such, this year, our Alumni Achievement Awards will be open for nominations for the full year, with alumni being recognised every quarter. Our winners will then go to an external judging panel who will select champions for each category, who will be recognised as part of the annual Newcastle University Awards gala dinner in June.

You can read more about the five categories below.

Outstanding social and civic contribution

This award celebrates alumni who are making a real difference in a community, whether that's one of ours (students, alumni etc.), a local community or one that stretches around the globe. Alumni in this category are working to improve a communities outlook, and could include those:

• Working with community groups and voluntary organisations to help others

• Supporting underrepresented groups to access services they need

• Creating new business to make a positive impact in their local community

• Leading and innovating cultural progress through creative arts

Outstanding global and intercultural contribution

This award recognises Newcastle graduates who have led the way in the integration of people and cultures, and who are breaking down barriers to create a greater sense of inclusivity. Alumni nominated for this award will have made a positive difference across a broad range of issues, such as:

  • Race
  • Culture
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Disability
  • Social Class

Outstanding contribution to sustainability and environmental justice

This award champions alumni who are tackling climate change head on and making great strides in the global quest for Net Zero and sustainability. Nominees in this category are passionate about the future of the planet and are working towards a greener future. This could be through: 

  • Launching new, green businesses
  • Leading sustainable change at your work
  • Volunteering to make environmental change
  • Championing sustainability within your local, regional, or national communities

Outstanding contribution to the University community

This award recognises those alumni who are making the biggest positive impacts on our communities, whether that be alumni, staff or students. Giving their time, their expertise and insight and their dedication to one or more of our communities, nominees in this category are passionate about supporting all things Newcastle. This could be through:

  • Volunteering their time through advisory boards, student programmes or mentoring
  • Supporting our student recruitment teams, either in the UK or around the world, with recruiting prospective students
  • Running alumni networks around the world to keep our alumni engaged with each other and with Newcastle University

Rising Star

This award recognises all those alumni who may be at the start of their post-student journey, but who are already making a significant positive impact on the world. Whether this is through entrepreneurial spirit, leading research or making significant changes within global organisations, these alumni are individuals who are already making waves. Possible examples include:

  • Making a breakthrough in research
  • Launching a new business to tackle a problem in a unique or innovative way
  • Undertaking a life-changing challenge

Do you have someone in mind you would like to nominate?

Previous winners

Huge congratulations to our latest Alumni Achievement Award winners:

  • Outstanding contribution to Environmental Justice and Sustainability Award - Mark Davis (BA Social Studies, 2000)
  • Outstanding Global, EDI and Intercultural Contribution Award - Rawaa Qasha (PhD Computer Science, 2017) 
  • Outstanding Social and Civic Contribution Award - Gabby Jahanshahi-Edlin (BA English Literature, Fine Art Drawing and History, 2010)