The University of Leicester is one of only small number of universities to have won the highly prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education on more than one occasion.

These prizes are awarded for excellence in research and teaching.

In 1994 the University of Leicester celebrated winning the Queen's Anniversary Prize for its work in Physics & Astronomy. Leicester is home to the biggest University based space research group in Europe. The prize citation reads: "World-class teaching, research and consultancy programme in astronomy and space and planetary science fields. Practical results from advanced thinking".

The University was chosen from 200 universities and colleges that entered the prestigious national awards scheme - adding significantly to its status as one of Britain's leading universities.

The world class work has continued since 1994 with major involvement in the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton X-ray Observatory and NASA's SWIFT mission. Very recently Leicester has led the technical design for the UK's first mission to another planet - the Beagle2 Mars Probe - and also hosts the Control Centre for the mission.

Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning

The department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester is one of only two U.K. Physics departments that currently have the prestigious status of Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). The Pi-CETL provides a national and international nexus for the creation, implementation, evaluation, scholarly documentation and dissemination of important new ideas in the teaching and learning of physics and astronomy. The focus is on curriculum innovation, the development of personal and professional skills, widening access, the use of modern technology to promote effective teaching and learning and the positioning of physics in the broader scientific context.

Awards for Individual Members of Staff

Listed below are a selection of the many prizes awarded to our members of staff since 2002.

• The Swift Gamma Ray Burst mission team (2007), Bruno Rossi Prize of the AAS High Energy Astrophysics Division.
• Prof. Derek Raine (2006), Institute of Physics Bragg medal for 'his work on the teaching of physics in universities.'
• Prof. Stan Cowley (2006), Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society.
• Prof. Stan Cowley (2006), Julius Bartels Medal of the European Geophysical Union.
• Prof Terry Robinson (2006), Royal Astronomical Society Harold Jeffreys Lecturer.
• Dr John Remedios (2006), NASA Group Achievement Award, for 'work on the UARS project'.
• Dr Steve Milan (2006), ESA science award, for 'work on the Cluster mission.'
• Dr Steve Milan (2006), URSI Young Scientist Award.
• Prof. Martin Barstow (2005) Isaac Newton memorial Lecturer.
• Prof. Stan Cowley (2003), medal of the University of Helsinki.
• Prof. Andrew King (2002), Wolfson Merit award.