2025 has been a milestone year for the University, marked by major achievements, global expansion and standout moments across our community. Here are some of the year’s highlights.
Liverpool in India: expanding our global footprint
The University announced plans to open a new international campus in Alembic City, Bengaluru, which will welcome its first students in August 2026.
This week, at an official ground-breaking ceremony for the new campus, Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Jones was joined by Chandru Iyer, Deputy British High Commissioner to Karnataka and Kerala, UK government representatives, academic partners, and industry leaders for a celebratory event marking the milestone.
Earlier in the year, the Vice-Chancellor met UK Prime Minister Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer and Indian Prime Minister Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi during a trade mission to Mumbai.
Strengthening our partnerships in India, we signed Memoranda of Understanding with a number of organisations and companies including Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Garden City University, Bengaluru, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited.
Celebrating students
This year’s National Student Survey (NSS) results saw the University achieve significant improvements across all areas, outperforming both the Russell Group and the wider higher education sector overall.
We marked 25 years of Go Higher, our pioneering programme offering adults without formal qualifications an accessible pathway into higher education.
One of our most inspiring graduates this year was John Harrison, who became our oldest PhD graduate at 83—almost 60 years after completing his undergraduate degree with us.
Thanks to the dedication of our Widening Participation and Outreach Team, we also welcomed more than 100 care-experienced students—the highest number in our history.
Redbrick reborn
After three years behind scaffolding, our iconic redbrick Victoria Gallery & Museum was revealed once again.
The refurbishment marked the reopening of the Tate Hall Museum and its new Lightbulb moments exhibition, celebrating the origins of some of Liverpool’s greatest ideas and innovations.
Later in the year, the VG&M’s Toxteth: The Harlem of Europe exhibition brought powerful musical histories to life.
Hats off to our graduates
Over the summer, we awarded honorary degrees to seven distinguished recipients, including Liverpool-born poet and performer Levi Tafari, and Colin and Wendy Parry, founders of the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation.
At our December graduation ceremonies, we recognised Jasmin Paris MBE, the UK’s leading female ultra-endurance athlete, and Sir John Curtice, election expert.
Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), received an Honorary Fellowship.
Rewarding success
Professor Andy Levers received an OBE for his outstanding contributions to industry and the economy, presented at Windsor Castle.
Professors Matt Rosseinsky OBE FRS and Andy Cooper FRS were honoured with Royal Society Medals – the Royal Medal for Physical Sciences and the Davy Medal, respectively.
Dr Mumtaz Patel was elected as the 123rd President of the Royal College of Physicians.
Chemistry PhD student Emma Brass used her robotics and coding expertise to create an AI artwork for this year’s River of Light Festival.
Professor Shakila Thangaratinam received the RCOG’s highest honour for advancing global women’s health.
A garden designed to celebrate and support neurodiversity found a permanent home on our south campus after winning a Silver-Gilt Medal at the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Football to fossils: research that changed the conversation
The School of Law secured a £5.8 million UKRI award to lead the new Centre for People’s Justice, advancing fairness through community and rights-based research.
We launched a new Interdisciplinary Centre for Sustainability Research (ICSR) to drive cross-Faculty work addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
University scientists detected preserved collagen in the hip bone of a duck-billed dinosaur, potentially opening new insights into dinosaur evolution.
A major study showed that the APT-Sepsis intervention reduced maternal infection-related mortality or severe morbidity by 32% in both Uganda and Malawi.
Researchers were part of a team that helped unearth the oldest known evidence of fire-making—dating back more than 400,000 years—in Suffolk.
Earth scientists recorded the seismic signature of Liverpool FC’s title-clinching win at Anfield with the largest tremor triggered by Alexis Mac Allister’s 24th-minute strike.
Rising in the rankings
Our upward momentum continued as we entered the top 150 in both the 2026 QS World Rankings and THE World University Rankings.
We entered the top 20 of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 – our best result in more than a decade and we also climbed to 22nd in the Guardian University Guide 2026.
Science in the city: British Science Festival
In September, we partnered with Liverpool John Moores University to bring the British Science Festival to the city, welcoming thousands of visitors of all ages to enjoy inspiring talks, workshops and interactive experiences.
From particle physics to therapeutic innovation, our experts gave festivalgoers the opportunity to engage directly with world-leading science and cutting-edge ideas.
Contributing to domestic and global innovation
At the Vice-Chancellor’s annual conference, we announced plans for AIM-HI, a new £100 million AI-driven materials chemistry facility to transform scientific discovery.
As we continued to progress the commercialisation of our research, we announced a multi-year partnership with Northern Gritstone to boost investment in deep-tech spinout companies.
We also delivered an Accelerator Programme for four spinouts in collaboration with Sustainable Ventures, supported by the Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise.
As we head into the New Year, the Media Relations Team wishes you all the best for the festive period.
