Over 200 staff and students have gathered with local and overseas VIPs for a celebration and the official presentation of Coventry University’s Queen’s Award for Enterprise, with both the Vice Lord-Lieutenant and High Sheriff of the West Midlands in attendance.
Colonel George Marsh TD of Her Majesty’s West Midlands Lieutenancy was joined by High Sheriff Jonnie Turpie MBE for the ceremony, and spoke of the transformation he has seen in the University and in particular the impact that internationalisation has had on the campus and on the city.
As part of their visit to Coventry’s campus, Colonel Marsh and Mr Turpie met with students from the University’s School of Arts and Humanities, and were taken on a special tour of an exhibition of the students’ design projects.
Coventry University was awarded the accolade earlier this year in recognition of its international growth and success over the past six years, making it one of only a few higher education institutions in the history of the awards to be honoured.
The award saw Coventry University commended in the international trade category for its ‘continuous achievement’ since 2009 in growing and supporting its overseas student population in the UK and abroad.
Dr Pilsbury, who met HM the Queen at Buckingham Palace in July as part of the build-up to the official presentation ceremony, said:
The Queen’s Award is an honour that Coventry University can be extremely proud of for many years to come. Having been invited to Buckingham Palace in July, we were delighted to have the opportunity to receive Her Majesty’s representatives as our guests and to show Colonel Marsh and the High Sheriff how the Queen’s Award defines what makes us different.