Edge Hill University Marks Landmark Achievements in Medicine, Life Sciences and Civic Engagement

Edge Hill University, located in Ormskirk, Lancashire, has long been well-known for its unmatched commitment to scholarly endeavour, innovation, and community engagement. 2025 was a momentous year commemorated by great achievements, among which were becoming the first university in the UK to produce its intake of medical students, the opening of its new Life Sciences facility costing £17.4 million, plus being declared the first gold-class Voter Registration Champion in the UK.

Really impressive results in the National Student Survey and excellent performance even in learning resources and voice of the students, were among the things that helped it get nominated in the Daily Mail University Guide 2026, University of the Year for Student Experience. Edge Hill University is distinguished by its strong focus on student success, innovation, and engagement with the community.

The silver jubilee of achievement offered Edge Hill University a moment to pause and reflect on 2025 as a year defined by innovation, stakeholder engagement and notable success. This first retrospective highlighted how both students and staff played a vital role in securing research awards and inspiring success stories that have helped shape the campus and strengthened the wider community in Lancashire.

Reported with joy by the University was the granting of the scholarship to a Sport and Exercise Science student, Zoe Harvey, for championing women’s wellbeing sessions and activities. Awarded primarily for attracting more female participants to a twice-weekly session open only to women as part of Campus Sport, it supports This Girl Can in association with Sport England. Another student midwife, Athalia Ross, was noted to have launched a branch of Early Essentials UK in her inspiration from a hospital placement. Her contribution was in organising the collection of items necessary to deliver baby baskets to those in need, including refugees or asylum seekers.

Edge Hill University has indeed received magnificent awards concerning their democratic engagement of being the first university to receive gold status as a Voter Registration Champion, the honour awarded by Citizens UK. The University mustered the victory of registering more than 5,000 individuals in civic engagement before the General Election.

It was heralded as a new day for President Emeritus Professor Michael Young, who expressed his immense pleasure in heading an institution that has a commitment to inclusive education and excellence in teaching and research. Dr Bob Nicholson was applauded for his historical views by his work on the Sky History series on Jack the Ripper, where he explored how media and popular Victorian culture mould public perception of the case. Congratulations also went to lecturer Lee Thompson and alumnus Jack McLoughlin for their Special Measures drama for Channel 5, which took on the pressures of Ofsted inspection, putting the experience of the teacher at the heart of the narrative.

This satisfied a long-held objective since the school opened its doors in 2019 and graduated its first cohort of students. It was noted that this first cohort’s general profiles were 80% originating from medically underrepresented backgrounds, many of whom chose to serve the very communities in which they were born.

Another major landmark was the opening of the new Life Sciences building in Ormskirk, Lancashire, which was formally opened by Baroness Jacqui Smith and represents an investment of £17.4 million into a brand-new laboratory building focused on biomedical and biochemistry sciences as well as plant sciences.

Edge Hill University was very proud to show what it achieved in the National Student Survey 2025, where it was first in the UK for learning resources and fifth for student voice. It was also honoured with the award of University of the Year for Student Experience in the Daily Mail University Guide 2026.

The year ended with the Christmas Carol Concert, a tradition held each year at the Ormskirk Parish Church. Members of the local community and the University’s student body and faculty came together to the Vice-Chancellor’s point that it was on days such as these that the University put its best foot forward, its roots firmly planted in its community.

Indeed, the year ended on a celebratory note at Edge Hill University with respect to Christmas, for the Christmas Carol Concert at Ormskirk Parish Church is held annually at Edge Hill University. It brings together students and staff as well as members from the local community, including choirs and a brass band, for performances. Professor Michael Young, Vice-Chancellor, remarked that the University was at its best when staff, students and the community came together, and he added that events such as the concert had helped to keep Edge Hill strongly embedded within the local community.

Editor’s Note:  

The initiation of the University’s greatest review in 2025 shows how far the merger between educational accomplishments, innovation, and the pride of the community stands in effecting sustainable changes. The testimonies of the University’s activities showed that achievement is not just grades or classroom performance, but also in the day-to-day activities of staff and students.

Since the graduation of the first cohort of medical students and the completion of the £17.4 million Life Sciences building, the focus of Edge Hill University has remained on widening access to education and research. Its presence as the inaugural gold status Voter Registration Champion in the UK further enhances the centre’s role in promoting civic engagement and democratic values in the community.

The student's accomplishments have proved to be inspiring. From Zoe Harvey’s work on women’s wellbeing to Athalia Ross’s work with new mothers, each case has heavy resonance within the University’s very vision of social responsibility. The academics at this University have also made their mark, on many occasions articulating their work nationally and contributing ideas, whatever the scenario, always centring around education and culture.

Alongside this exemplary national performance, Edge Hill University continued to make headlines, receiving a “University of the Year for Student Experience” award, with the reasoning that the University not only listens to students all the time but also creates an atmosphere whereby students’ opinions count. The Ormskirk Parish Church was filled with merriment in expression of the blending spirit of community and the University.

As per Skoobuzz, Edge Hill University has made a statement that an inspirational and innovative tapestry can be woven from its punctuated achievements. It is a success story, but more than that of a University that is still determined to put people right at the front of all its ambitions.

FAQs

1.What is Edge Hill famous for?

Edge Hill University is best known for its excellence in teaching, student experience and community engagement. Founded in 1885 as the UK’s first non-denominational teacher training college for women, it has since developed into a modern institution recognised for its award‑winning campus, inclusive ethos and strong reputation in education, health, and creative disciplines.

2.What does Edge Hill University specialise in?

The University offers a wide range of programmes, but it is particularly strong in teacher education, health and social care, medicine, business, law, and creative arts. It also provides courses in science, engineering, and computing, reflecting its commitment to innovation and skills development across diverse fields.

3.What is Edge Hill ranked in the world?

According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, Edge Hill University is placed in the 1001–1200 band globally. EduRank 2025 also listed it 103rd in the UK and 1,726th worldwide, with strong performance across social work, media studies, and education research.

4.Which is the No. 1 ranking University in the UK?

The University of Oxford holds the top position in the Times Higher Education UK University Rankings 2025, followed closely by Cambridge and Imperial College London. In the Complete University Guide 2025, Cambridge was ranked first, while Imperial College London topped the QS World University Rankings 2025 for the UK.

5.What is the mission statement of Edge Hill University?

Edge Hill University’s mission is “to explore the difference knowledge can make in inspiring minds and shaping a better future for our graduates and the lives of others.” It aims to deliver teaching of the highest standard, informed by internationally recognised research, within an inclusive and intellectually stimulating environment. The University emphasises education as a transformative force, opening doors to greater opportunities for all.