In my final newsletter of this academic year: our summer degree ceremonies, the new Defence Universities Alliance, new Sectoral Groups launched, the 2026 Commonwealth Games, and a look back on the last 12 months. 

Our summer degree ceremonies

Thousands of our 2026 graduates, their families and friends were on campus earlier this month for our summer degree congregations. It’s always wonderful to see the campus so alive with celebration, particularly when it’s bathed in glorious sunshine. 

The graduation ceremonies are also an opportunity for us to honour the achievements of people who have made a significant contribution to the University or to fields the University has links with. This summer we presented Honorary Doctorates of the University to five individuals whose achievements align with our strategic aims, themes and values.

From the world of sport we recognised Loughborough alum Tammy Beaumont MBE, one of the most accomplished cricketers of her generation and a dedicated advocate for women’s sport and gender equality; triathlete Dave Ellis MBE, who won Paralympics gold at the Paris 2024 Games; and former Loughborough College student Jill Scott MBE, one of the most recognisable figures in English football, celebrated not only for her playing career but also her advocacy for grassroots football.

We also honoured the Loughborough-born artist Mike Nelson, who is a two-time Turner Prize nominee and whose work has been exhibited at Tate and the Hayward Gallery, and Anita Gurumurthy, an internationally recognised leader in the field of digital justice. 

As well as honorary degrees, we awarded University Medals to five members of the University community in recognition of their exceptional service, dedication and leadership across the University and beyond.  

From the Academic Schools we recognised Professor Patricia Carillo, who has made a significant impact on research and education in construction management; Dr Andrew Dix, for his contribution to the student experience and his long-standing service with the University and College Union; and Professor Roy Kalawsky, who positioned Loughborough at the forefront of virtual reality research when the field was still in its infancy. 

We also honoured Pauline Matturi, Senior Learning and Development Advisor, who has played a pivotal role in helping colleagues across the University to develop their skills and realise their potential, and Sarah Van Zoelen, who has transformed our approach to occupational health and wellbeing. 

Congratulations to all our honorary graduates and University medallists on their awards, and thank you to everyone across the University who works so hard to make the ceremonies so special for all those involved.

Loughborough becomes a founding member of the Defence Universities Alliance 

Earlier this year the Government invited applications from universities to become members of the new Defence Universities Alliance (DUA) – a collaborative network to partner with the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Office of the Chief Scientific Advisor for National Security and the UK Armed Forces. 

This month Loughborough was announced as one of the 35 founding universities. Through the DUA we will enhance our research in areas that help to keep the country safe and secure. We will also be able to offer our students greater options for careers in the defence sector, creating a pipeline of people with skills in areas of crucial importance, from cyber security and robotics to aerospace engineering and advanced manufacturing.   

The DUA is part of the Government’s £182 million defence skills package to strengthen the UK’s talent pipeline and support economic growth, and will fundamentally change the way defence, universities and industry work together. I am delighted that Loughborough will be part of this important initiative to tackle some of the most complex challenges facing the UK today.

Sectoral Groups are launched to boost collaboration 

This month we welcomed representatives from the Department for Business and Trade, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and UK Research and Innovation for the launch of a set of new Industry Sectoral Groups, which we have established to strengthen our collaboration with business, government and other key stakeholders. 

The groups cover areas of our particular research and innovation strength and are aligned to many of the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy priority growth sectors: Advanced Manufacturing; Creative Industries; Defence and Security; Digital and Technologies; Finance, Professional and Business Services; Life Sciences; and Sport. 

In a particularly challenging research funding landscape, our partnerships with industry and government, and our ability to demonstrate value from public investment, are more important than ever. Our new sectoral groups will provide a way to connect Loughborough’s research and innovation strengths and our good track record of partnership working with national priorities for growth, productivity and competitiveness.  

Working collaboratively with other universities, government and business is crucial to our, and the country’s, success. An event I attended last week is a perfect illustration. I was honoured to be invited to the opening by His Majesty The King of the New Whittle Laboratory at the University of Cambridge and participate in the Frank Whittle Summit, which brought together universities, government officials and executives from companies such as Rolls-Royce, Boeing and Siemens Energy to kickstart a series of missions that will pioneer new technologies and industries in the UK.   

Loughborough already works in partnership with Cambridge and Oxford universities, and global industry partners, on aerothermal training and research through the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Future Propulsion and Power. The CDT is linked to the National Centre for Combustion and Aerothermal Technology (NCCAT), which is built on a decades-long partnership with Rolls-Royce through the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC). 

The Frank Whittle Summit enabled us to define the partnerships, capabilities and investments needed to accelerate the UK’s journey from discovery to deployment. The missions that will arise from the event will transform and accelerate the UK’s approach to innovation in hardware development and manufacturing across aerospace, energy and defence, harnessing AI and autonomous laboratories to shrink today’s multi-year technology development cycles from years to months.

Loughborough athletes shine at the Commonwealth Games

The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow are now in full swing and by the end of Wednesday’s events, if Loughborough were a country we’d be 8th in the medal table, with our athletes having won 25 medals. Our athletes had a phenomenal day yesterday, securing nine podium places across 3×3 Basketball, 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball, swimming and athletics, winning two gold, five silver and two bronze medals.

This year’s Games are particularly special for Loughborough, as we are the official University Partner of Team England. This value-in-kind partnership is an opportunity for us to further our long-standing relationship with Team England and raise Loughborough’s profile on the world stage.   

Before the Games I was delighted to visit the Team England ‘Kitting Out’ set up in the Sir Denis Rooke building, which had been transformed to house a showroom, athlete lounge space and warehouse. Kitting Out is an important milestone in the sporting journey for athletes and support staff. More than 450 Team England personnel passed through the venue to collect their kit provided by sport apparel brand, Kukri, including their podium kit which proudly displays the Loughborough University logo on the sleeve, as part of our value-in-kind partnership with Team England. 

Make sure you keep up to date with all our latest news from Glasgow on our Games Ready website and via social media on Insta, Facebook and X.

Reflections on the academic year 

Each July, at the Senate and Council dinner, I reflect on our achievements over the past 12 months.  

Throughout the year we have made good progress towards the aims of our strategy across our three priority areas of Education and Student Experience, Research and Innovation, and Sport. You can read the summary of some the highlights from the past year that I mentioned in my speech at the event.  

But we have also had to make some tough decisions to deliver financial savings that will stand us in good stead for the future. I recognise this has been difficult for all those involved and I am grateful for the thoughtful and collaborative way in which this has been handled.  

This year is particularly special as it’s the 60th anniversary since Loughborough was awarded its university charter. Anniversaries are, of course, a time to reflect. Our success has been shaped by our ambition, and the commitment of people who continually strive to raise the bar – and then raise it again. Anniversaries are also a chance for us to look ahead. As we head into our seventh decade, I am confident that our future will be shaped by the same spirit of togetherness and determination that has brought us this far. 

  For some of us the summer is a time to take a breath and to begin to prepare for the coming year. But I know that there are colleagues across the University who are continuing to work hard on events and initiatives in the next few weeks, such as Confirmation and Clearing.  

Whatever you are doing, thank you for your contributions throughout the year and at this particularly important time in the recruitment calendar. I hope are able to find time to enjoy the summer.  

BUCS Championship 

Loughborough has continued its dominance of British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), securing an incredible 45th consecutive title. Loughborough’s total of 10,243 points is a sector-leading record, making the University the first institution to surpass the ten-thousand-point mark. 

National Student Survey (NSS) 

Loughborough has increased its student satisfaction scores in the 2026 NSS, with students rating us more positively across all seven themes, reflecting our commitment to strengthening our sector-leading position for student experience.

Flagship Research Institutes 

Associate Pro Vice-Chancellors/Directors have been appointed to lead the six new Flagship Research Institutes, which will bring together established and emerging areas of excellence across globally significant themes.