Published by Chloe Chadwick
Published Date 02.05.2023 
A leading University Professor who donated £865,000 to charity received a
standing ovation as she collected a Lifetime Achievement Award for
outstanding contribution to education and science at the Educate North
Awards 2023.
In an emotional speech, Professor Nicola Curtin of Newcastle University, said she
had no need of the money which she had received as royalties following the
development of a breakthrough drug which is fighting breast cancer and cancer
of the uterus.
Rob McLoughlin OBE who handed her the special trophy at the prestigious dinner
at Manchester’s Midland Hotel described her work as ‘inspirational’ and her
generosity ‘superb.’
‘Nicola is an amazing example of the professionalism and commitment of the
educational sector in the North and across the UK’ he said later.
The ovation ignited a superb evening which saw one student walk away with a
cheque for £1000 after pitching a new business idea to an audience of 400
academics, teachers and business people at the 9th Educate North Awards
founded to celebrate excellence, improvement and progress in the HE, FE and
Sixth Form sector across the North of England. The winner will attend a special
course at The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre.
Broadcasters Jim Hancock and Dani Sinha unveiled three special awards
nominated by the 3 million listeners to Heart Yorkshire, Smooth North East and
Smooth North West including Birkdale Primary school where the life of Nick
Sheeran was saved by staff and pupils after he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Lancaster was named University of the Year as judges from across the UK and
North applauded its innovation and entrepreneurship, there were wins for Edge
Hill (Social Mobility Award), Preston College (Business Collaboration) as well as
for the University of York and Fathom Cognition (Innovation Award for work on
dementia), Northumbria University (STEM Initiative Award) and New College
Durham went home with the highly commended award for FE College of the Year.
You can see the full list of winners and those highly commended on
www.educatenorth.co.uk
Emeritus Professor Phil Harris, Chairman of the Awards described the awards as
‘a startling reminder of the excellence, innovation and brilliance of so many
institutions against a backdrop of uncertainty and serious challenges across the
sector in the North and the UK as a whole.’
He concluded; ‘These Awards have become a symbol of change and
improvement and tonight has shown that while the sector can always adapt, care
is needed for it become stronger and more sustainable in the future.’
The Awards were created by RM Communications (see www.robmcloughlin.com)
and run in partnership with John Kennedy CBE, Interact, CCUK Audio and Media owners of Voiceworks, Smooth North West, Smooth North East and Heart Yorkshire, The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre at the Alliance Manchester Business School, Beebot AI, Fusion and IT Capital. Educate North Awards 2024 will be open for entries in the autumn of this year.
