University formally presented with King’s Awards Grant of Appointment and crystal trophy by His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire
During a prominent ceremony held at the University of Hertfordshire’s College Lane campus yesterday (Thursday, 10 October), the institute was formally presented with a Grant of Appointment scroll and crystal trophy to affirm its status as a 2024 winner of the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire Robert Voss, King Charles’ personal representative, presented Vice Chancellor Professor Quintin McKellar MBE with the official certificate and commemorative trophy, which officially acknowledges the University’s internationalisation strategy as being “one of the best in British business”.
Opened with dancing by the Herts’ Student Union’s Bhangra Society, the event also saw the University’s vast international team honoured for their hard work in achieving the accolade, which is considered the UK’s highest business honour, endorsed by both the Prime Minister and The King.
Speaking at the event, Lord Lieutenant Robert Voss, who is also a board member for the University of Hertfordshire, said:
"Herts has worked tirelessly for many years to increase its global impact, and this 52nd Queen's-now King's-Award is a testament to that dedication. Once again, this success highlights Hertfordshire's reputation as the 'county of opportunity' globally. When I joined the board, I could never have imagined presenting the University with the highest accolade for international business. Now, we look forward to strengthening and cultivating our international partnerships with renewed vigour."
One of 252 organisations to have achieved the award this year - and the only university - the King’s Award for Enterprise recognises those who are leading in their fields in international trade, innovation, and sustainable development. The University of Hertfordshire was commended for its outstanding achievements in international growth; with its overseas sales surging by 330% over the past six years, even despite remarkable global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and notable political and economic disruptions.
As part of the award commemorations, Jo Stuart, Pro Vice Chancellor for International and Marketing Communications at the University of Hertfordshire, attended a royal reception at Windsor castle in July this year with His Majesty The King, who congratulated her on her team’s incredible achievement.
Jo Stuart, Pro Vice Chancellor for International and Marketing Communications at the University of Hertfordshire, said:
“Lord Lieutenant Voss is a great friend to the University and we are always thrilled to welcome him here. To be able to do so under such exceptional circumstances feels particularly special. We are grateful to him for so generously giving up his time to not only present these commemorative awards, but to also meet with our international team, including our in-country representatives, and make sure they felt truly celebrated for the role they played in this achievement.
"It has been absolutely incredible to achieve such prestigious recognition of our internationalisation strategy and the high-quality work we do here at the University of Hertfordshire. We have faced some hugely challenging times over the years, and yet our international team has remained committed to building strong international strategic partnerships, fostering impactful research collaborations, and creating unique global teaching and exchange opportunities for the sake of our entire University community. We are all extremely proud and grateful for the brilliant work they do.”