Solent launches inaugural Business and Alumni Awards

The awards will be announced on Wednesday 29 June and provide an opportunity to celebrate the impact businesses and our alumni have on the University, our student community, and wider society.

Across the University, we work closely with businesses and our alumni to provide opportunities which help develop our students’ skillsets, ensuring they are future ready when they graduate. Regular engagement includes delivering targeted employability sessions, such as our recent Spring Forward event, and 1-1 mentoring with our students via our Solent Futures team. These awards allow us to recognise and celebrate those who have made considerable contributions over the past 12 months.

The eight awards that will be presented are:

Graduate Outcome Award – Recognising the success of our alumni community who have gone on to achieve success working in industry. This award will be presented to an alumna/alumnus who graduated from Solent three to five years ago.

Future Leader Award – Celebrating the impact of a recent Solent alumni who demonstrates strong leadership to support and enable a business’s overall strategy.

Graduate Entrepreneur of the Year - Recognising the commitment and dedication of an individual who has established and sustained their own business start-up, or is at the research stage of developing a viable, innovative and scalable business idea.

Professional Mentor Recognition Award – Recognising the positive contribution and impact of a mentor who has been part of the Solent Professional Mentoring Programme.

Graduate Programme of the Year – Putting a spotlight on an employer who has closely worked with Solent University to support active recruitment of our student body.

Apprenticeship Employer of the Year – Celebrating a company’s overall approach to developing apprentices within their business.

Apprentice of the Year – Recognising an individual’s success as an apprentice.

Knowledge Exchange in Action Award – Recognising a University and business partnership that has driven positive outcomes through the transfer of knowledge and expertise.

We kindly ask all members of our student body, staff, alumni, business relations and the Solent community to nominate anyone they feel deserving for the appropriate award. Nominations for each award are open until 11:59pm on Tuesday 31 May 2022.

Make your nomination*

If you have any queries about nominations or the awards in general, please email engagement@solent.ac.uk.

*Please note, you will only be able to make one nomination for one award per form submission.