The University of Exeter Business School has been shortlisted for Business School of the Year at this year’s Times Higher Education (THE) Awards, one of the most closely watched recognition programmes in UK higher education. The nomination places Exeter among a select group of institutions competing across 20 categories, and it reflects the school’s sustained work on environmental sustainability, responsible leadership, and technological change.
For prospective students, academic partners, and employers, the shortlisting offers a useful signal. Awards judged by sector peers tend to reward substance rather than marketing, and the criteria for this category focus on verifiable achievements during the 2024–25 academic year. Below, we examine why the University of Exeter earned its place on the shortlist, what the nomination reveals about the direction of business education, and how prospective applicants can use this information when comparing their options.
Why the Business School of the Year Nomination Matters
The Times Higher Education Awards are often described as the “Oscars of Higher Education.” Each year, they bring together universities from across the UK and Ireland to celebrate excellence in teaching, research, leadership, and social impact. Winning—or even being shortlisted—carries weight because the judging panels include experienced sector professionals who assess documented evidence rather than reputation alone.
For the University of Exeter, the Business School of the Year shortlist position recognises concrete initiatives rather than broad aspirations. Judges in this category look for institutions that demonstrate leadership across student outcomes, research influence, and institutional values. Exeter’s nomination is built on a clear theme: embedding environmental sustainability into every dimension of business education, from research programmes to industry partnerships.
A Practical Signal for Prospective Students
Rankings and awards should never be the only factor in choosing a business school, but they are worth understanding. A shortlisting of this kind indicates that a school’s peers view its work as exceptional. For applicants weighing up programmes in the UK, this recognition suggests that the University of Exeter Business School offers more than standard coursework—it operates active research initiatives, convenes national-level events, and maintains partnerships that connect students to current debates in policy and industry.
If you are researching business schools with strong sustainability credentials, it is worth examining how each institution integrates environmental questions into its teaching and research. Request a prospectus from the University of Exeter Business School or attend one of its open events to see how its programmes align with your career goals.
The Times Higher Education Awards in Context
Understanding the significance of the shortlisting requires some background on the awards themselves. The Times Higher Education Awards cover 20 categories spanning the full range of university activity, including teaching excellence, research projects of the year, widening participation initiatives, and international collaboration, alongside institutional awards such as Business School of the Year.
The 2026 ceremony will take place in Birmingham on Thursday 26 November, where winners across all categories will be announced. The judging period focuses on the 2024–25 academic year, which means the shortlisted achievements are recent and verifiable. For UK higher education as a sector, the awards serve a valuable documentation function: they publicise work that might otherwise remain confined to academic journals or internal reports.
Business schools, in particular, face growing scrutiny over their role in addressing climate change and social challenges. Employers increasingly expect graduates to understand environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, and applicants increasingly choose programmes based on whether institutions practise what they teach. Against this backdrop, the Business School of the Year category highlights schools that have moved beyond token gestures.
Environmental Sustainability as a Strategic Priority
Three initiatives stand out in Exeter’s shortlisting, and each illustrates a different dimension of how a modern business school can engage with sustainability.
Hosting the First AI for Net Zero Conference
The University of Exeter Business School hosted the first-ever AI for Net Zero conference, bringing together researchers, policymakers, and industry figures to examine how artificial intelligence can support decarbonisation. The event reflects a broader shift in sustainability work: the recognition that reaching net zero emissions will require not only policy change but also sophisticated data analysis, modelling, and technological innovation.
For students, initiatives like this conference matter because they shape the learning environment. A school that convenes national conversations on AI and climate is a school whose faculty are actively producing the knowledge that will appear in tomorrow’s curricula. Attendees gain exposure to current research, and the institution builds networks that benefit graduates entering the job market.
Leading UKRI-Funded Research on the Circular Economy
Exeter was also chosen to lead a major initiative funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) examining how emerging technologies can accelerate the shift to a circular economy. The circular economy model aims to reduce waste and keep materials in use for longer, in contrast to the traditional linear model of take, make, and dispose.
Securing competitive UKRI funding is a strong indicator of research quality, as these grants undergo rigorous peer review. Leading a national initiative on digital technologies and circularity positions the Business School at the centre of a policy debate with direct implications for manufacturing, retail, logistics, and finance. Students studying at Exeter can engage with this research through dissertations, projects, and taught modules informed by faculty working at the frontier of the field.
Launching the Climate and Nature Impact Team at Davos
The third initiative took place on a global stage: the launch of the Climate and Nature Impact Team at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The team aims to bring science and communication together to generate measurable impact on climate and nature across key industry sectors.
The Davos launch signals Exeter’s intent to influence decision-makers well beyond the campus. It also reflects an understanding that scientific findings only create change when they reach the audiences who can act on them—executives, investors, and policymakers. This focus on translating research into practice is central to the school’s identity and is precisely the kind of achievement the Business School of the Year category is designed to reward.
Leadership Perspectives on the Shortlisting
Professor Steve Wood, Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of the University of Exeter Business School, welcomed the recognition while acknowledging the broader pressures facing sustainability commitments worldwide. He congratulated everyone who contributed to the achievement, from students to academic and professional services staff, and noted that although commitments to environmental sustainability are increasingly under pressure across organisations and institutions globally, the school’s determination to address the climate and nature crises through research, education, and partnerships remains steadfast.
This framing is telling. Rather than presenting sustainability as a marketing asset, the Dean’s comments position it as a long-term institutional commitment maintained despite external headwinds. For prospective students who care about these issues, that consistency is a meaningful differentiator at a time when some organisations have scaled back their climate pledges.
What Applicants Should Look for in a Sustainability-Focused Business School
Exeter’s shortlisting offers an opportunity to consider how any applicant should evaluate business schools claiming environmental credentials. Based on the evidence behind this nomination, four questions are worth asking of any institution:
- Is sustainability embedded in research as well as teaching? Look for funded research centres, UKRI or equivalent grants, and faculty publishing in respected journals. A school that only offers a sustainability elective is doing far less than one producing original research that shapes policy.
- Does the school convene external events and partnerships? Conferences, industry collaborations, and participation in global forums indicate that a school influences practice, not just theory.
- Are commitments consistent over time? Check whether sustainability initiatives have been sustained across multiple years or whether they appear and disappear with leadership changes.
- Do students have access to the research? The strongest programmes connect students to live research through projects, placements, and dissertation supervision.
Applying these questions to your shortlist will help you distinguish between institutions with genuine expertise and those with well-designed brochures. When comparing programmes, contact admissions teams directly and ask how sustainability research informs the curriculum you would actually study.
The Broader Picture: Business Education and the Climate Transition
Exeter’s recognition arrives at a moment when UK higher education is navigating significant change. Funding pressures, shifting student demographics, and rapid technological developments are reshaping the sector. Within that context, business schools face a particular challenge: the traditional management curricula were built for an economy that paid little attention to environmental limits.
The initiatives behind Exeter’s shortlisting suggest one credible response—integrating environmental questions into the core of business research and teaching rather than treating them as an add-on. The AI for Net Zero conference addresses the technology dimension, the circular economy initiative addresses production and consumption, and the Climate and Nature Impact Team addresses communication and adoption. Together, they cover a meaningful portion of what an economy-wide transition requires.
Students entering the job market over the next decade will encounter employers adapting to disclosure requirements, changing consumer expectations, and physical climate risks. Graduates who have studied within an environment where these questions are researched seriously, rather than bolted on, are likely to find themselves better prepared for that reality.
Key Details of the Nomination at a Glance
- Institution: University of Exeter Business School
- Award category: Business School of the Year
- Awards programme: Times Higher Education Awards 2026
- Ceremony: Birmingham, Thursday 26 November 2026
- Judging period: The 2024–25 academic year
- Cited achievements: The first-ever AI for Net Zero conference; leadership of a UKRI-funded initiative on emerging technologies and the circular economy; the launch of the Climate and Nature Impact Team at the World Economic Forum in Davos
Looking Ahead to the Awards Ceremony
The winner of the Business School of the Year category will be announced at the ceremony in Birmingham on 26 November 2026, alongside winners in the other 19 categories. Whatever the outcome, the shortlisting itself documents a substantial body of work and offers applicants a window into the school’s priorities.
For those considering applying, the coming months offer a practical window to act: application cycles for many UK business programmes open in the autumn, and open days and webinars provide direct access to faculty and current students. If the University of Exeter’s sustainability-led approach matches your goals, review the entry requirements for its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and prepare your application early.
Final Thoughts
The University of Exeter Business School’s shortlisting for Business School of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards reflects a deliberate strategy: building research strength, industry partnerships, and public engagement around environmental sustainability and responsible leadership. For prospective students, the case illustrates what to look for when evaluating business schools—funded research, national-level initiatives, and commitments that persist under pressure.
As organisations worldwide reassess their environmental pledges, business schools that maintain their focus on the climate and nature crises will play an increasingly important role in preparing the next generation of managers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. Exeter’s nomination shows what that preparation looks like in practice.
Have you studied at a business school with a strong sustainability focus, or are you currently comparing programmes in the UK? Share your experiences and questions in the comments below, and explore our related articles on UK higher education to support your research.
