University wins award for 'gamechanging' festival

York University's Festival of Ideas runs for two weeks and attracts, on average, an audience of 60,000 people

The University of York has been named Community University of the Year in recognition of its annual Festival of Ideas event.

The two-week festival, launched in 2011, features hundreds of free public events with the aim of using education and ideas to "transform lives".

The award, from the Daily Mail University Guide, recognises universities that make a significant impact beyond their campus.

Festival director Joan Concannon said: "We are incredibly proud to be named Community University of the Year. The award recognises our commitment to making a meaningful contribution to society."

The annual festival hosts more than 200 events across a fortnight

Alastair McCall, editor of the Daily Mail University Guide, said the Festival of Ideas had been "a gamechanger for the University of York".

He said the festival had become "a mainstay in the North's cultural calendar", and should be celebrated as "one of the finest examples of how universities can positively impact their communities".

This year's festival ran from late May until the middle of June.

Ms Concannon said the festival was "a powerful reminder that when ideas are shared freely, they increase understanding, build local pride and strengthen the bonds that make our community so special".

Prof Ken Badcock, the University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost, said: "The University of York was founded in 1963 with a powerful mission to serve the public good - and that principle guides us today.

"We are proud to share our knowledge and resources to be a good neighbour in our community and the wider world."

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