University of Staffordshire has been named University of the Year at the Academic Employability Awards 2026, in recognition of its approach to preparing students for the workplace.
The awards, organised by the Graduate Futures Institute, attracted more than 200 submissions from universities across the UK and Ireland and celebrate partnerships and ideas that help students develop career-ready skills.
Judges said the Staffordshire institution stood out for its ‘strongly embedded approach to employability with strong outcome and inclusion focus’.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Raheel Nawaz said: “Being recognised at the Academic Employability Awards is a significant achievement and reflects our commitment to preparing students for successful careers. By embedding employability across everything we do, we are helping students succeed from day one and beyond.”
The university’s Curriculum Framework combines academic study with practical skills, professional competencies and real-world experience.
Developed with input from academics, students, professional services and industry partners, the framework is designed to ensure teaching and assessment remain aligned with employer needs.
The impact is reflected in graduate outcomes, with 80 per cent of students moving into positive destinations in 2025 – a six per cent increase over three years. The university was also ranked third in the UK for careers prospects at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2025.
Carolina Salinas, Head of Employability & Graduate Outcomes, said: “This award recognises our strong collaborative approach to integrating career readiness into curricula, assessment, and student development. From first-year to graduation, employability is integrated across all programmes ensuring students are prepared for the job market well before graduating.
“The Curriculum Framework continues to evolve in response to student feedback, labour market trends, and emerging technologies to ensure that every student, regardless of background, benefits from an employability-led learning experience aligned with employer expectations and evolving industry needs.”
Work-based learning forms a core part of all degree programmes, including a minimum 70-hour micro-placement in every course.
Employer engagement is also embedded through guest lectures, live briefs, mentoring and networking, while the university’s annual GradEX event showcases student work to industry professionals.
The university also delivers paid internships for students and graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds through its Access and Participation Plan, alongside initiatives such as the Student and Graduate Project Officer scheme and the Graduate-Accelerator programme, which has supported more than 300 students into professional experience over the past three years.
Enterprise support is available through initiatives including the Be-Inspired start-up programme, which provides grants to 50 graduates each year.
International opportunities further enhance employability, with more than 200 students undertaking study and work placements abroad through the Turing programme.
A key example of the university’s approach is the Staffordshire Games Institute, which produces more industry-employed games graduates than any other UK institution, supported by strong links with leading studios.
Professor Chris Headleand, head of Staffordshire Games Institute, said: “This recognition reflects years of sustained, collective effort to build an environment where our graduates are supported, and positioned to thrive.
“This award is a testament to the power of collaboration, shared institutional vision, and a relentless focus on student outcomes. It recognises not just individual initiatives, but a whole ecosystem designed to transform potential into real-world success.”
