UAL awarded Queen’s Anniversary Prize for role in sustainability education

University of the Arts London (UAL) has been announced as the recipient of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, an honour awarded every two years to the UK university or college that delivers benefits to the wider world through education and training.

UAL was selected for its role in “influencing perceptions and actions towards environmental and social sustainability across the global fashion system”, which the organisation said honoured its two decades of work to “shape the fashion industry of the future”.

In a release, chief social purpose officer of UAL, Polly Mackenzie, said: “I’m delighted for our staff, students, and alumni that our excellence in environmental and social sustainability in fashion has been recognised in this way.

“By bridging the gap between academia and the fashion sector through our teaching, research, and industry partnerships, we have demonstrated a long track record of using creative education as a tool for positive social and environmental impact, showing that caring for others and the planet is at the core of who we are.”

A number of initiatives by the UAL have been showcased through the prize, including the Making for Change programme, which is centred around community engagement and supporting recently released women prisoners.

The recognition particularly notes the work done by UAL’s Centre for Sustainable Fashion, based at London College of Fashion (LCF), where research alongside leading designers has been carried out over its 15 years of life, helping to set agendas in government related to global social issues.