Pictured: Professor Sir Robert Burgess (photo courtesy
University of Leicester)
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester is to be
honoured with a Lifetime Contribution to Midlands Business Award,
it has been announced.
Professor Sir Robert Burgess will receive the award amidst a
gathering of leaders from business, industry, civic life and
academia in Birmingham on Friday 3 February.
The Midlands Business Awards recognise outstanding contributions
to business, industry and society. Previous winners are Lord Digby
Jones; Geoffrey Robinson MP and Lord Bhattacharyya, head of the
Warwick Manufacturing Group.
At the awards ceremony, the University of Leicester is also
competing in three other awards: Midlands Enterprising University
of the Year; Midlands Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Midlands
Innovation of the Year.
The fact that the University of Leicester makes an outstanding
contribution to innovation and technology is a view also shared by
the judges of the 2011 Times Higher Education Awards. In receiving
the accolade, the University of Leicester also became the first
university to win five successive Times Higher Awards.
Professor Sir Robert said: "I am delighted to receive this award
which highlights the work of the University of Leicester as a
business with higher education at its very heart. While I am
delighted to be honoured in this way, the achievements that have
been made would not have been possible without the considerable
help and support of my many colleagues in the institution over the
past 12 years. I would, therefore, like to thank them for
assisting me in developing what has become a very successful
University."
Harj Sandher from the Midlands Business Awards said: "We are
delighted that Sir Robert joins the list of winners of this, the
most prestigious award we give out. His achievements in making the
University of Leicester a power house of innovation and technology
deserve recognition."
Professor Sir Robert Burgess is one of the most well-respected
Vice-Chancellors and sociologists in the UK. During his time as
Vice-Chancellor, the University of Leicester has secured its
position as a top 20 UK university and considerably developed its
involvement in the local community, forged numerous links with
industry and encouraged entrepreneurship amongst colleagues,
creating an enterprise culture.
Since his arrival in 1999, the University's turnover has more
than doubled to £260 million and its estimated value to the
City is £140 million per annum. The student population has
risen to 23,000 students and he has developed a major capital
programme of £1bn over the next 20 years which will provide
employment and income to the local and regional economy. He has
developed many community activities including the annual
International Sculpture Show in the University's Botanic Garden
which brings in over 30,000 visitors each summer.
Professor Sir Robert received a Knighthood for his services to
local and national Higher Education in the 2010 New Year's Honours
List, has been Chair of a number of national Committees including
the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, the Higher
Education Academy and the UUK/GuildHE Teacher Education Advisory
Group. He has been a member of many other national Committees
including the British Library Board and is currently chairing the
UUK/Guild HE Implementation Group on the Higher Education
Achievement Report and Degree Classification on which he has
produced three reports. He has recently been invited to Chair
the Board of the National Centre for Social Research.