What a year it’s been: BNU's 2024 review
As 2024 comes to a close, look back at some of BNU’s highlights of the year.
In January BNU was awarded a funding boost from the Office for Students (OfS) to support its degree apprenticeship provision.
The university received £117,916 to fund three degree apprenticeship programmes which support industries identified as having a skills gap in the .
BNU’s Sports Therapy and Injury Clinic treated Australian Soccer player Mitch Duke who wanted to maintain fitness in Japan’s off-season ahead of the AFC Asian Cup.
Sports Therapy Lecturers Neal Reynolds and Nick Castle delivered the physical therapy and soft tissue requirements to assist in Mitch’s recovery and injury prevention.
BNU held its first winter graduation in February with post-ceremony celebrations held in newly redeveloped area, Dove.
The new ‘Dove’ space includes the Winter Garden, Atrium and Roof Garden and is named in honour of women’s rights campaigner and founder of Wycombe Abbey, Dame Frances Dove.
Master of Ceremonies, Deputy Vice Chancellor Damien Page, hailed the occasion as being ‘transformational’ for students, many of whom are first in family to enter HE.
Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and the university published a HEPI Debate Paper on the benefits and challenges of franchise provision in higher education.
Co-written by Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Braisby, Professor Damien Page, Deputy Vice-Chancellor; and Ian Harper, the University’s Commercial and Business Development Director, the paper outlines data and evidence, from across the higher education sector as well as from BNU, which demonstrates the benefits of franchised provision as well as some of the challenges.
In March, BNU’s Graduate Teaching Associate in Law, Nasifa Ahmadi, and Academic Liaison Librarian for the School of Business and Law, Dr Elizabeth Ann Kelly, attended the 68th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York.
They attended the event as part of the delegation from Associated Country Women of the World and took part in a panel discussion on barriers to accessing societal safeguards for women.
In April, BNU welcomed Professors Fred Yamoah, Adetoro Adegoke, Nela Milic, Qichun (Kit) Zhang and Arinola Anneke Adefila to lead the Inclusive Research and Knowledge Exchange strategy.
The strategy actively promotes diversity in all its forms, ensures equitable access to research opportunities, and will cultivate an environment where all voices can be heard, valued and celebrated.
BNU also brought home the Roebuck trophy in a Varsity win against University of Roehampton and was also the university’s first win in 5 years.
In May, BNU held its first ever Drug and Alcohol Conference in collaboration with the Oasis Partnership.
The event hosted industry professionals who delivered talks on topics including youth prevention and education, harm reduction and recovery, ADHD and substance use, and trauma-informed care.
BNU also celebrated a rise in the Complete University Guide, climbing an impressive eight positions to rank 106th out of 130 HEIs in the UK.
Buckinghamshire Community Wellbeing Hub (BCW Hub) marked a significant milestone in June with its first anniversary.
The innovative space, dedicated to health and wellbeing professionals, has become a beacon of support and collaboration, fostering growth and well-being for residents and Health and Social Care professionals alike and allowing BNU learners access to shadow professionals, attend training, and participate in Health promotion activities.
Wycombe Wanderers announced BNU as their back-of-shirt sponsor for the 2024/25 season.
The announcement, which came in July, saw the club’s Official Higher Education Partner enter their third year of the partnership with the university emblazoned across the back of Wanderers’ playing and replica shirts, which are set to be seen by a bigger worldwide audience than ever before thanks to enhanced coverage of English Football League fixtures on the new Sky Sports+ channel.
The BNU community also came together to celebrate academia and knowledge exchange at the Research and Enterprise Conference 2024.
120 attendees gathered in the University’s Atrium for a day filled with keynote speakers and workshops demonstrating the breadth of research currently taking place at BNU. Sessions spanned technology, creative industries and life and social sciences.
BNU also retained their proud position in the UK top 20 in the National Student Survey 2024, averaging s 19th in the UK for student positivity amongst full-time, first degree students taught at BNU. The university also impressively came 1st in the UK for the positivity of registered students which includes all our students.
In August it was announced BNU had partnered with Chiltern Railways and environmental charity Chiltern Rangers to make High Wycombe’s train station more welcoming and attractive for the community.
Students from the university and volunteers from the Chiltern Rangers worked together to improve the station by creating new artwork and delivering planting schemes, with the aim of linking together High Wycombe station with the town’s historic landmarks, whilst preserving its heritage and improving biodiversity in the area.
The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 was released in September and saw BNU has retain its position of 10th best for teaching quality and risen five places in the overall rankings.
The University also climbed 12 places to rank 65th in the 2025 edition of the Guardian University Guide.
The same month saw BNU receive a £500k research grant to provide “vital” social worker support to help disadvantaged people in coastal communities.
Head of School for Health and Social Care Professions, Professor Jermaine Ravalier, was awarded a research grant from the National institute for Health and Care to help support the retention and recruitment of social workers in coastal communities. These social workers provide support to those who are more likely to need the “vital” support of social workers than people living in other areas.
October saw Professor Damien Page announced as the next Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer at BNU, succeeding Professor Nick Braisby who announced his decision to step down as Vice-Chancellor during 2025.
Professor Page said: "I am thrilled to be the next Vice-Chancellor at Buckinghamshire New University, and will be proud to lead an institution with an historic mission to transform the lives of students and the local communities where our campuses are based.”
Sober running group Wellness Warriors on the Run also secured £6.5k in funding from Sport England which will support the group’s upcoming programmes.
It was also announced the High Wycombe Community Advice Hub will become permanent following its successful pilot lead by BNU.
The Advice Hub adopts a ‘one stop shop’ model whereby those in the greatest need can walk in without booking an appointment and then receive advice from one or more advice-giving organisations present on the day on topics including benefits, bills, careers, employment, family, food, housing and money.
In November BNU’s School of Engineering and the Built Environment was officially launched.
Opened by Professor Sabuj Mallik, Head of School of Engineering and the Built Environment at BNU, he said: "At BNU, we have created simulated environments that allow for experimentation and that mirror industry, including renewable energy systems.”
BNU's Institute for Health and Social Care held Public Health Awareness Week for the university and local communities, where public health was celebrated and conversations about wellness were encouraged.
Students, staff and the local community attended the Wellbeing Fair in the Winter Garden and learned how to administer CPR at Restart at Heart sessions, and the university also hosted SAPHNA’s (School and Public Health Nurses Association) annual conference where Sir Michael Marmot, delivered a keynote speech.
The same month saw BNU host an “inspirational” prison reform conference to support and raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities facing the criminal justice system.
December saw the University’s social prescribing programme Wellness Warriors on the Run celebrate the end of successful third programme by completing a 5K at Walton-on-Thames.
Led by Senior Community Engagement Officer Charmain Clayton and Managing Director of Phoenix Lifestyle Innovations, Lewis Baker, 13 runners embarked on the final run of the Couch to 5K programme with an organised Phoenix Running event.
