A free Law Clinic, a Tourism Strategy for York and a unique hospitality careers programme for young people have made York St John University a finalist for a top award.

Now into their 20th year, the Times Higher Education Awards are seen as the ‘Oscars of higher education.’ They recognise excellence across UK and Irish universities and attract hundreds of entries.

York Business School (YBS) has been shortlisted for Business School of the Year 2024 for its ‘Power of Partnerships’ submission, recognising some of the many ways YBS works with and for the community in Yorkshire.

The business school says driving collaborations between academia, industry, local government and community stakeholders in Yorkshire is key to its ethos. The award nomination has recognised this work in three key areas of law, tourism and hospitality.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Relaunched post-pandemic in 2022, the YBS Law Clinic was developed in partnership with law students to support residents and businesses who cannot afford legal services.

It addresses gaps in legal aid with a team of 84 students and six supervisors who provide free legal assistance.

Demand for the Clinic continues to grow with hundreds of people supported with civil, landlord and will disputes, business development, alongside advice for prisoners and victims of alleged miscarriages of justice.

Beyond its own community, YBS has worked in close partnership with civic stakeholders to safeguard the region's economic sustainability. 

City of York Council engaged YBS to lead the creation of a new tourism strategy. The team researched the economic and social impact of York’s tourism attractions and established the York Tourism Advisory Board to develop a new tourism strategy.

With more than 60 organisations taking part, the strategy resulted in a Local Visitor Economy Partnership for York and North Yorkshire.

The third pillar of the YBS work is their innovative Junior Board programme to support the hospitality industry. Hospitality is worth over £2 billion in the region, but faces issues with staff retention, fuelled by young people believing there is no progression or room for growth.

The Junior Board initiative addresses skills gaps and raises the profile of the hospitality sector and is already being used as an example of best practice by Visit England

Dr Brendan Paddison, Associate Professor and Interim Dean of York Business School said: “York Business School aims to drive innovation, tackle complex societal challenges, and facilitate knowledge exchange for social and economic benefit. 

“The THE Award nomination is testament to the unwavering dedication of the Business School team, the innovative spirit of our students, and the strength of our entire community.”

John Gill, THE’s editor, said the awards have been a window on “the wonderful achievements” of a sector that has “undergone extraordinary transformation without ever losing sight of the vital role it plays across the UK and Ireland”.

Winners will be announced on 28 November at a ceremony in Birmingham’s ICC.