GCRF Compass project celebrates at the Times Higher Education Awards ceremony.

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The project has been singled out as the most ‘highly commendable’ under the category of international collaboration.

The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) COMPASS project, led by Kent in partnership with the University of Cambridge was shortlisted for the International Collaboration of the Year at the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards 2021and the team were there to celebrate.

‘We are here at the THE Awards with our GCRF Compass project awaiting the announcement for the best International Collaboration of 2021.’ Professor Elena Korosteleva tweeted from the event ‘Thank you to everyone for making it a success whatever the outcome! It’s a people’s project with a difference!’

The GCRF COMPASS project works with higher education institutions (HEIs) from former Soviet Republics (ADA University [Azerbaijan], Belarusian State University [Belarus], Tajik National University [TNU] and the University of World Economy and Diplomacy [UWED]), to develop global partnerships and more sustainable learning capacities through resilience in the face of adversity and crisis. Led by Korosteleva, twice formally recognised for her research and teaching excellence in the UK and internationally, the GCRF COMPASS consortium involves six Research Institutions, 24 members of staff and 100 affiliates.

Congratulations to the School of Tropical Medicine who won the award for its Respond-Africa project, working with partners in sub-Saharan Africa to tackle non-communicable conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. But The THE Awards judging panel was also hugely impressed with the International Collaboration of the Year entry from GCRF COMPASS and asked that they be highly commended.

The project was recognised by the THE Awards 2021 judges for its creative collaborations, imaginative communication of research results, and tremendous achievements in difficult circumstances of war, conflict, uprising and COVID-19 pandemic.

‘We are delighted to announce that our project has been singled out as the most HIGHLY COMMENDABLE under the category of international collaboration,’ Korosteleva told us ‘selected out of five hundred submitted and five shortlisted projects! The winning award deservedly went to the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, for their achievements in the fight against COVID-19, and we were cited alongside the winners. It is not so much about the recognition that matters –  it is about the people involved in the project who have made it a real success!’

Read more about the project here. 

The full list of winners are here.