Sixth Time For The School To Receive The Queen's Anniversary Prize

Cranfield University visited Buckingham Palace Thursday to receive its sixth Queen's Anniversary Prize from HRH The Prince of Wales, with HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes are the highest awards in the UK for higher educational institutions. They are awarded every two years to universities and colleges who submit work judged to show excellence, innovation, impact and benefit for the institution itself and for people and society generally in the wider world.

Collecting the medal on behalf of the University was Baroness Young of Old Scone, Cranfield’s Chancellor, Sir Peter Gregson, Cranfield’s Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor and Professor Graham Braithwaite, Director of Transport Systems.

The Queen’s Anniversary Prize is for Cranfield’s work supporting the nation’s aero-engineering students. The University is home to the National Flying Laboratory Centre (NFLC), which brings together academics and technical specialists to deliver experiential learning for aerospace engineering students from over 20 UK universities.

"We are honored to be one of just a handful of academic institutions to be awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for the sixth time," said Professor Sir Peter Gregson, Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor of Cranfield University. “This award is a tribute not only to the current and former academic, technical and support staff of NFLC, but also the thousands of students who have flown with us and gone onto become leading aerospace professionals.”

Cranfield’s fully instrumented aircraft, operating from its own Global Research Airport, offer a unique learning flight test experience for aerospace engineering students at Cranfield and other universities. NFLC also supports the development and testing of new airborne technologies and procedures for future plight.

"Through the National Flying Laboratory Center, Cranfield has played a significant role in the education of thousands of the nation’s aerospace engineers," said Sir Brian Burridge, Chief Executive of the Royal Aeronautical Society. "This award is a fitting tribute to the work of the University in ensuring that the UK aerospace industry is one that is envied across the world.”

The University launched a fundraising campaign in 2019 to purchase a Saab 340B aircraft to expand the educational and research capabilities of the NFLC. Cranfield, in partnership with industry and other universities, is looking to raise funds for modification of the aircraft in order to support the next generation of aerospace engineers.

"The NFLC is a vital national asset supporting thousands of students to realise their ambitions of becoming aerospace engineers and carrying out transformational research," said Professor Graham Braithwaite, Director of Transport Systems at Cranfield University. "Our flying capability, combined with our research airport, digital tower and new facilities such as the Digital Aviation Research and Technology Center (DARTeC) position Cranfield as a global leader in aviation and aerospace.”

Cranfield is one of only six universities to have won the prize on six or more occasions.

(Images provided with Cranfield University news release and from file. Sir Peter Gregson and Professor Graham Braithwaite collect the award from the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall)

FMI: www.cranfield.ac.uk