We are delighted to launch the UHR Awards 2026! As you know, a key goal of UHR is to foster HR innovation, shared learning and professional development across the sector. These awards offer a fantastic opportunity to celebrate creativity and success, showcasing how people professionals in higher education continue to lead with forward-thinking, impactful practices that strengthen organisational culture and drive performance across UK universities. Even preparing an entry can inspire reflection, collaboration and motivation within your team, while winning provides well-deserved recognition for outstanding achievement.
How to Apply? You can download the nomination form in a Word document below - please note there are two forms; one for the UHR Star Award and one for all other categories. You then submit your nomination using Survey Monkey and pasting across your answers. Submit your nominations via Survey Monkey by Friday 6 March.
Winners will be announced at the UHR Conference 2026. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who makes this event a success, including this year’s Premium Partners, People Insight and Shakespeare Martineau. We look forward to celebrating your achievements!
There are eight UHR Awards – here are the categories and criteria:
Organisational transformation, effectiveness and performance: this project has driven and demonstrably enhanced organisational performance and competitive advantage, or transformation, demonstrating new ways of working, or the collaborative nature of HR success in working with other functions. This category could encompass how HR has driven sustainable change in challenging financial circumstances, and innovative approaches to activities such as the REF and enhancing academic performance.
Culture change and organisational development: this project has achieved transformational culture change or greater staff engagement, or involved collaborative work with another organisation, enabling the university effectively to meet future challenges and uncertainty.
Equality, diversity and inclusion: this project has improved equality, diversity and inclusion in the organisation, and brought demonstrable improvements to performance or engagement.
Reward, recognition and resourcing: this project has demonstrably improved the ability of the organisation to reward, recognise, resource or recruit staff effectively, particularly in the current challenging climate.
Wellbeing: this project has enhanced the wellbeing of staff, and through that, improved the workplace and the student and/or staff experience.
Digital and technological innovation and change: this project has enabled the HR team and the university to provide a better service and/or saved significant resources, with potential for further impact in the future.
Exceptional HR: for exceptional achievement by an HR team.
HR Star: An award to recognise a member of HR staff who has been a valued member of the team and gone above and beyond their role and made an exceptional difference to the organisation through what they have done, or the way they went about it.
At a recent Awards Showcase event, a panel of distinguished former winners shared their top ten reasons to submit an entry for a UHR Award:
The UHR Awards provide a unique opportunity to celebrate HR excellence, share innovation, and inspire meaningful change across the sector. Don’t miss your chance to participate!
The deadline for entries is Friday 6 March.
Winners will be announced during the UHR Conference 2026.
Winning awards may be presented on campus on 19, 20 & 21 May (they can also be posted if you prefer).
Apply Now for the UHR Awards 2026
Take a look at some of our previous winners:
Learn more about the winning projects and teams from the UHR Awards 2024.
Learn more about the winning projects and teams from the UHR Awards 2023.
Our 2022 Award winners included an inspiring set of projects and teams and just as every year there was much for the UHR community to learn.
The winners of the UHR Awards for Excellence in HR 2021 were announced at UHR’s 2021 Conference, themed ‘Refreshing HR’, on Wednesday 12 May 2021.
