Lancaster University Conferences and Events

Lancaster University FAM Trip

Hi there,

Heading to Blackpool for FAMTASTIC? Why not make it a double win…

Join us in Lancaster on Thursday 30 October for a hosted FAM experience with the Lancaster University Conferences & Events+ team— less than an hour from Blackpool.

Here’s what’s waiting for you:

- 12pm Arrival at Forrest Hills Afternoon High Tea and fresh air at our rural retreat, set in 180 acres of stunning countryside.

- Crystal Quest Experience with Off Limits Events …. Followed by a fun campus treasure hunt with prizes.

- Free Time to Recharge- Welcome Drink at Lancaster House Relax and mingle with fellow agents and our team.

- Hosted Dinner at Lancaster House Hotel Great food, great company, and plenty of stories.

- Overnight Stay on Campus Simple, comfy accommodation to rest up before Blackpool.

- Friday Morning: Lancashire breakfast in the Marketplace, a visit to historic Lancaster Castle, and a wellbeing session to leave you refreshed.

- Lunch Box To-Go Packed and ready for your onward journey.

Check-out: Friday 31 October Perfectly timed for your arrival at FAMTASTIC.

Spaces are limited—please save the date! We’ll be in touch soon with RSVP details and the full itinerary.

We’d love to host you.

Warm regards, Hilary, Phoebe & Gill Lancaster University Conferences & Events+

Help give homes to bumblebees with the BeeBox

Wildlife lovers can help provide much needed homes for Britain’s iconic bumblebees thanks to the innovative new BeeBox, created and developed by researchers at Lancaster University.

In much the same way that bird boxes help provide birds with ideal nesting spots, the newly launched BeeBox will enable people to provide ideal homes for bumblebee colonies.

The humble bumble bee is a vital pollinator species. They pollinate many of our flowers and they are also important for pollinating crops.

In recent years there has been an increase in public awareness about the need to support our pollinators by planting more bee-friendly flowers for foraging – but this addresses only half the problem.

Dr Philip Donkersley, an environmental scientist and invertebrate expert at Lancaster University, had the idea for the BeeBox after recognising the need for more bumblebee nesting sites.

“The BeeBoxes provide the missing half of bee ‘Bed and Breakfast’. One of my biggest bugbears about bee conservation is that we are always planting more food for them, which is great, but rarely doing any work on providing nesting sites for wild bees.

“Finding suitable habitat and in particular nesting sites can be an issue for bumblebee queens in the spring. These bee boxes can help to address that for both rural and urban areas.”

The BeeBox has been through five years of development to perfect the design.

Global positive changes being made across campus

From thought-provoking presentations to hands-on volunteering opportunities, Global Positive Change Week brought together staff and students to celebrate the power of collective action. Here's a quick review, as well as ideas on what you can do to continue making a positive change.

The week focused on the theme of sustainability, with each of the events linking to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, showcasing the University’s commitment to addressing global challenges. Highlights included:

More than 300 trees planted at Rewild Lancaster launch The Lancaster University Undergraduate Research Conference hosted more than 100 students across the University’s teaching partnerships 60 pieces of equipment were collected during the ISS tech amnesty LUSU Green hosted both a ‘craftivism’ and tree maintenance session. The week saw the University collaborate with local charities and activists, and staff and students make positive changes both on campus, as well as in the local community. 

Simon Guy, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global (Digital, International, Sustainability), said: "Lancaster University's Global Positive Change Week showcased the importance of collaboration, innovation, and determination to creating a more sustainable world. As the University community reflected on the power and potential of positive change this week, the call to action endures; to keep striving, connecting, and making a difference – together." 

Find out more about Global Positive Change Week on the dedicated event page. 

So what’s next? Opportunities to make a positive impact continue all year round. Here are some ideas for what you can do to contribute. 

Students can join in with LUSU Green initiatives throughout the year to support the sustainability journey at Lancaster and take action on the climate and ecological crises. 

ReStore Lancaster is a sustainability hub on campus too for sustainable shopping, volunteering opportunities and positive change. Follow them on Instagram for details on all their events throughout the year. 

The University offers lots of opportunities to staff too. Make a difference by joining a faculty sustainability group, supporting sustainable procurement, choosing more sustainable travel options, attending and promoting the University’s sustainability events.

You can find out more about the University's sustainability strategy, actions being taken and ways to get involved on the Sustainability page.

Lancaster University’s Grounds team scoops two national awards

The team behind Lancaster’s award-winning 578-acre estate has won two prizes at the national Grounds Management Association (GMA) Industry Awards 2025. 

In an awards ceremony held at Liverpool Football Club’s Anfield Stadium on Thursday 13 March, the team claimed both ‘University/College Grounds Team of the Year’ and ‘Young Groundsperson of the Year’ which was awarded to Facilities Groundsperson Thomas Heppell-Mooney. 

The annual GMA industry awards highlight the outstanding contributions of individuals, teams and organisations who set the benchmark for excellence across the sector. 

The prestigious ceremony has continued to recognise excellence in grounds care since 2009 and brings together many of the UK and Europe’s leading practitioners and suppliers to pay tribute to the very best in the professional, amateur and voluntary sector. 

This year’s shortlist was decided by a panel of ten leading grounds management professionals, who selected the standout candidates across 17 different categories. The shortlist includes talent from grassroots volunteers to professionals at the highest level of sport. 

The University/College Grounds Team of the Year Award recognises teams that demonstrate strong technical skills, best use of machinery, and show evidence of continual staff development and training. 

The Young Groundsperson of the Year Award recognises individuals that demonstrate excellence in maintaining facilities, demonstrate exemplary performance, and make a significant impact to their team and the profession. 

Ian Sturzaker, Landscape Manager, said: "It's a truly well-deserved recognition for Thomas and the team and highlights the standards that they all continually work to. I’m incredibly proud to lead such a dedicated group of individuals who all want to make the Lancaster campus an inspiring place to be.”   

Paul Morris, Director of Capital Development & Estate Operations, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Thomas and the Grounds team. Congratulations to all the team, it is testament to their hard work, expertise and commitment to developing and maintaining the University grounds to such a high standard.” 

Lancaster subjects are among best in the world and Linguistics takes third place??

Linguistics at Lancaster University has been ranked third in the world with eight other subjects making it into the world top 100, according to new rankings released today. 

English Language and Literature along with Marketing also gained coveted top 50 positions in the?QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025  published today. 

Updated each year, the QS subject rankings?are based on analysis of the reputation and research output of more than 5,000 institutions around the globe.  

This year, from this group of 5,203 institutions, 1,747 were ranked across 55 narrow subjects and five broad subject areas, creating more than 21,000 entries. 

Linguistics at Lancaster has consistently been a high performer in global and national league tables and the University has been at the forefront of Linguistics teaching and research for decades. 

Whether making a difference in the lives of people with dyslexia or helping the NHS improve services, Lancaster’s world-leading Department of Linguistics and English Language examines how language works in learning, communication and within society. 

Meanwhile, two other Lancaster University subjects also took world top 50 spots, with English Language and Literature ranking 38th and Marketing ranking 48th. 

The full list of high performers taking top 100 positions at Lancaster is: 

Linguistics (third)  English Language and Literature (38th) Marketing (48th) Modern Languages (joint 66th) Sociology (joint 67th) Accounting and Finance (joint 90th) Business and Management Studies (joint 99th) Statistics and Operational Research (51-100) Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (51-100) 

Official groundbreaking ceremony held for Net Zero Energy Centre

The Net Zero Energy Centre will house an innovative array of air and water source heat pumps. When complete, it will help to virtually eliminate the use of gas to heat the Lancaster campus.

A key milestone was reached this week as a groundbreaking event was held at the site of the University’s new Net Zero Energy Centre.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Schofield led the event which brought together members of the University community including the project team, researchers, the contractor, and suppliers. 

Professor Schofield said: “The new Net Zero Energy Centre, expanded heat network, and solar PV farm are all crucial steps in fulfilling the University’s commitment to reducing energy related carbon emissions from electricity and heating to net zero by 2030, and our aim to be net zero from all other emissions by 2035. The ongoing projects, delivered by energy partners Vital Energi, exemplify Lancaster’s forward-thinking approach, ensuring that future generations can benefit from a cleaner, greener campus while continuing to support groundbreaking research in renewable energy.”

The new energy centre is projected to generate 39 gigawatt hours (GWh) of low carbon energy, enough to heat 95% of campus buildings.

To carry the heat across campus, 6.5km of additional district heating pipework is being installed, adding 247 campus buildings to the network and expanding coverage from approximately 65% to 95% of campus buildings.

The centre will also include 1,500 cubic metres of thermal stores which will supplement the new heat supply and help ensure consistent heat during peak times of the day.

In addition, the energy centre will incorporate a visitor facility. This will feature an educational meeting room for visitors from the University and other universities, local schools and community groups with an interest in sustainable energy, specifically heat pump technology. 

Lancaster University and Deakin University launch UK-Australia international campus in Indonesia

The Deakin University Lancaster University Indonesia (DLI) campus was officially launched at an opening ceremony in Bandung, West Java, on 26 February 2025. 

The landmark event celebrated the first UK-Australia joint international campus - a collaboration that opens new possibilities for transnational education and Indonesian students. It was attended by senior government and diplomatic representatives, university partners, education agents and education sector leaders.

Located in vibrant Bandung, just an hour from Jakarta by high-speed rail, the DLI campus represents an innovative trilateral education partnership. Courses at the new campus will commence in September 2025, with initial programs offered in Business and Information Technology.   

Indonesian students will have the opportunity to undertake dual undergraduate qualifications from two internationally renowned universities in a world-class learning environment, while living close to home. 

Lancaster rises 16 places in sustainability league table

Lancaster University jumped 16 places in the People & Planet University League rankings 2025, released on Friday 20 December.

The annual league table, compiled by student campaigning network People & Planet, is designed to rank universities on their environmental and ethical performance.

The league table places Lancaster 54th in the UK out of more than 150 universities. Recently, Lancaster was also ranked joint 68th in the world at the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability.

In the People and Planet league table, Lancaster scored particularly highly for its robust sustainability strategy and externally audited environmental management system, and also for encouraging staff and student engagement in sustainability.

The University has a plan to drive further improvements across all measures included within the table.

The People & Planet league table is based on information publicly available on institutions’ websites about university operations including sustainability policy, sustainable initiatives, student engagement and campus operations.

Data is also taken from the Estates Management Statistics published each year by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Lancaster University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global (Digital, International, Sustainability) Professor Simon Guy said: “At Lancaster, we recognise that sustainability is the responsibility of our whole community, and we are proud of the hard work and commitment of all colleagues across the University towards achieving our net zero goals.

“We know there is more work to be done across the University, but we are delighted to see Lancaster rise up 16 places this year in these rankings, recognising our commitments to sustainability and the climate emergency.”

First-ever, all-female ceremonial team make history in 60th year

A ceremony at this year’s Graduation celebrations marked an historic occasion during Lancaster University’s 60th anniversary year as, for the first time, an all-female ‘cast’ took ‘centre stage’ in the ceremonial roles.

All the key ceremonial positions of Master of Ceremonies (MC), Mace Bearer, two Halberdiers and two Marshals were taken on by women for the first time ever at the ceremony on December 12 at 10.30am.

Daphne Barker, a doctor of auditory neuroscience, took on the role of MC, responsible for welcoming the graduands and guests, setting out rules and expectations, and ensuring the smooth running of the event.

Daphne, who hails from Cambridge, studied at Lancaster University for her undergraduate degree in psychology from 2004 to 2007 before receiving a PhD from University of Manchester and the MRC Institute of Hearing Research in Nottinghamshire in 2010.

She has held post-doctorate posts at Lancaster and Manchester and now works as Strategic Projects Officer in the University’s Strategic Projects Team.

Financial Times ranks LUMS amongst best Business Schools in Europe

The new Financial Times European Business School Rankings 2024, out today, reveals Lancaster University Management School is now positioned 76th in Europe and 13th in the UK. The same rankings also confirm Lancaster’s Executive Master’s in Business Administration (EMBA) is ranked 57th in Europe, with alumni reporting a 58 per cent increase in salary on average, three years after completing the programme.

Meanwhile Lancaster’s Master’s in Management Programme is positioned 75th in Europe, with alumni reporting a 41 per cent increase in salary on average, three years after graduating from the course.

Professor Claire Leitch, Executive Dean of LUMS, said: “This prestigious ranking confirms that LUMS is once again positioned among the best business schools in the world, which is fantastic to see."

Lancaster University’s economic power and social good captured in new report

Lancaster University contributed nearly £2 billion to the economy and produced a raft of social goods from skills and spin outs to community projects and policy support, according to a new report launched this week.

The detailed analysis, produced by consultants London Economics, assessed the economic and social impact of Lancaster University across a single year 2021-22.

Some of the key impacts captured included:

£2 billion total economic impact across the UK 2021-202261% of this £2 billion total directly impacted the North WestEvery £1 invested in the University’s research activities generates £9.16 for the UK economy 2021-22Lancaster University supports 8,805 jobs across the UK economy, 6,085 of which were located in the North West.Of this £2 billion:

£726 million came from the University’s research and knowledge exchange activities£551 million from the University’s teaching and learning activities£352 million generated by the operating and capital expenditures of the University£341 million from the University’s educational exports via our international studentsLancaster University, which commissioned the report, serves as an anchor institution and leading university based in the North West and celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

As a centre of expertise in subjects from management and the arts to cyber security, defence and nuclear, the University has educated and trained generations. This talent includes doctors, architects, social workers, lawyers, scientists, creative practitioners and economists – all helping generate national growth and prosperity.

Alongside their social and cultural impact, Lancaster graduates can be found in the four nations of the United Kingdom and beyond working in important leadership positions, investing in our country, using their skills to improve the lives of others and giving back to their communities.

World leading researchers ranked in global top one percent

Seven researchers at Lancaster have been included in a list of the world’s most influential academics, according to rankings released by Clarivate. 

Each individual to make the list has demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field of research, having?authored multiple ‘Highly Cited’ papers which rank in the top one percent by citations for their field and publication year in the Web of Science over the past decade.  The list is built from citation activity and refined by drawing upon expert judgement and qualitative analysis by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI).  

Lancaster University is widely respected for research, education and engagement that is transforming lives, communities, practice and thinking across the globe. 

Working on important challenges, from food production, entrepreneurship and conservation to AI and ecosystems, Lancaster’s Highly Cited Researchers are making a difference, both in academia and in the world. 

New programme to provide PhD students with next-gen computing skills

Researchers from Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) and Lancaster University’s Centre of Excellence in Environmental Data Sciences (CEEDS) are co-leading a new initiative to train the next generation of Earth and environmental scientists to harness the power of exascale computing.  ? 

The Exascale computing for Earth, Environmental,?and Sustainability Solutions consortium, or ExaGEO, will share in more than £500m in new funding announced today by UK Research and Innovation which will support two new schemes called doctoral landscape awards and doctoral focal awards.?  ? 

The schemes build on a rich history of doctoral investments that support discovery-driven research at universities across the UK and will replace the nine schemes through which UKRI currently supports doctoral training.  ? 

Over the initiative's lifetime, the investment will support up to 30 doctoral students to develop their skills and experience at Lancaster University, with places available in the biological sciences, engineering and physical sciences, and natural and environmental sciences. Over the next five years across all the University partners, more than 65 new PhD students will be equipped with skills to develop and apply software for environmental applications which will run on next-generation exascale computing systems.  ? UKRI Chief Executive, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, said: "UKRI’s investments in Doctoral Training are pivotal for the UK’s research and innovation endeavour. The awards provide funding for Universities across the UK to nurture a cadre of creative, talented people to develop their skills and knowledge, to build partnerships and networks, and to pursue the discoveries that will transform tomorrow, with diverse benefits for society and economic growth.” 

Lancaster University signs Memorandum of Understanding with Trinity Hospice

Lancaster University has signed a partnership agreement with Blackpool’s Trinity Hospice as it continues to find innovative collaborations which strengthen its global reputation for end-of-life care research and education.

The partnership will support the hospice’s research programme, enhancing its commitment to training health care professionals in palliative and end-of-life specialties and partnering in innovative research to help shape future care. The hospice is already part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and supports students who are undertaking research as part of a recognised university qualification.

The partnership was formalised in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by Professor Andy Schofield, Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University, and Nigel Law, Chairman of Trinity Hospice.

The partnership has been arranged by Dr Amy Gadoud, Senior Lecturer in Palliative Medicine at Lancaster University and Honorary Consultant at Trinity Hospice and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – working with members of the University’s Health Partnerships Team

Dr Gadoud is also the national palliative care lead for the NIHR Research Delivery Network.

Whilst formal accreditation of a ‘University Hospice’ does not exist in the same way as an NHS Trust, it is the ambition of the two organisations to create a University Hospice relationship which makes the most of mutually beneficial opportunities.

Trinity Hospice Chief Executive, David Houston, added: “This important moment signified the dawn of a new chapter as Trinity Hospice comes towards its 40th anniversary year.

Free Range Milk Across Campus

Lancaster University's partnership with Freshkeg has had a number of exciting developments. One highlight is the new collaboration with Stephenson’s Dairy, meaning all Freshkeg milk is now free-range milk. The new kegs on castors also removes all the heavy lifting, making manoeuvring and wheeling kegs around much easier. 

Lancaster climbs to 12th in the UK, retains top spot in the North West England

Lancaster University has climbed to 12th in the UK out of 134 universities and is ranked as top in the North West of England in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.

That’s a rise of two positions from Lancaster’s national ranking in last year’s The Times and The Sunday Times 2024 league table.

In addition, The Times League Table also ranks 14 Lancaster University subjects among its top 10 with Social Work at Lancaster ranked the highest (1st) in the UK.

Other top ten ranking subjects include: French (3rd); Iberian Languages (3rd); Linguistics (3rd); Subjects allied to medicine (4th); Physics and Astronomy (5th); Criminology (6th); Natural Sciences (=6th); Art and Design (7th); Drama, Dance and Cinematics (8th); Sports Science (=8th); Creative Writing (10th); Economics (10th); and Sociology (10th).

This latest league table re-enforces Lancaster’s position among the UK’s leading research-intensive universities.

Lancaster is consistently ranked highly across all three of the major UK university league tables. As well as this latest Times and The Sunday Times ranking, Lancaster is currently positioned joint 10th in the Complete University Guide 2025 and 11th in The Guardian league table.

The university also ranks strongly in international league tables such as the QS World Rankings and the quality of its teaching was recognised with a?Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023.

Lancaster University Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Schofield said: “Lancaster’s high ranking in the latest Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, along with our performance across the other major league tables, underlines our position as one of the UK’s academic powerhouses.

Green Campus

Our beautiful 578-acre campus is situated in green parkland, 3 miles from Lancaster city centre. Sustainability is at the heart of our campus plan with more than 25,000 trees, 6.5 miles worth of hedgerows, new buildings that reduce environmental impact, our ECOHub allotment and orchard, and plenty of green spaces to relax and socialise with friends.Bailrigg Campus sits within a parkland landscape covering a staggering 62 acres, which is equivalent to more than 47 football pitches. The estate contains a diverse mix of habitats including woodland, grasslands and waterbodies. To manage these important ecological assets the grounds team, use a number of environmental techniques to support the different habitats, wildlife and ecosystems. The management of these assets is contained within the links below.

Unique Venues

Our state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated team ensure a seamless and professional experience of hosting a wide range of conferences, meetings and events, for all budgets.Re-energise with great indoor and outdoor venues, perfect for memorable events; from business meetings to stratigic planning days, and team building activities to create workshops, all available to hire throughout the whole year.Some of our unique venues include Lancaster Suite at Lancaster Castle, the waterside Forrest Hills located on 180 acres of spectacular woodland, and an Escape Room experience for delegates.

Sustainability Pledge

We are proud to be at the forefront of the sustainable conference movement; leading the way by making our offering more environmentally friendly and encouraging greener behaviours where possible. We've been awarde with the ECOsmart Platinum Accreditation for two years in a row, with an 85% score in their sustainability practices in seven key areas; energy and water conservation, waste management, sustainable food and beverage management, and corporate and social responsibility.