ÎÞÂ붯»­

Harper Adams: a Year in Review Part One

Posted Today

January 2024

The year began with the announcement of a  £750,000 philanthropic gift from the Kildare Charitable Trust.

The gift will support Harper Adams students from two West Midlands counties through scholarships.

The Kildare Charitable Trust was set up by farmers and philanthropists Jim and Phyllis Richards and has already supported more than 50 undergraduate Harper Adams students from Herefordshire and Worcestershire through scholarships since 2012. For the first time, the new scholarships enabled by the fund will not only be open to undergraduate students from the two counties – but also to students across other courses Harper Adams offers, such as Postgraduate Degrees and Apprenticeships.

Meanwhile, a unique research project using a live-streamed fridge to feed the community and tackle food waste was launched at the University. 

The Harper Adams ÎÞÂ붯»­ Fridge Project saw the fridge used to redistribute surplus food which would otherwise be disposed of – helping reduce food waste and address cost-of-living challenges at the same time. 

The fridge, and the food it contains at any one point, are  online using an innovative system which takes  picture of its contents when the stock changes – as long and no objects or people are in front of the fridge or freezer.. The initial pilot project proved a success and the fridge is now based in the University's Weston Atrium – and has saved more than 13,000kg of food over the year.

At Lamma, the UK’s leading farm machinery show, Harper alumnus Ieuan Evans was named Young Engineer of the Year 2024 for his Smart Slurry Pump.

The pump, first developed in prototype as a Masters Research Project in the final year of Ieuan’s MEng Agricultural Engineering degree, is a smart telemetry system which works in real time to monitor information from a remote-controlled tractor and slurry pump. Presenting the award, Toby Whatley, Head of Machinery and Farm Technology at Farmers Guardian told Ieuan: “We were impressed by your determination in developing the Smart Slurry Pump, seeking a solution right through from your education to your start in the industry.”

Back at Harper Adams, Veterinary companies, charities, and associations were welcomed to campus for the first 'Interprofessional Careers Day.' 

Co-hosted by the  and Harper Adams Veterinary Nursing team, the event provided students with a dynamic platform to engage with professionals in the veterinary field, learning more about various specialities and the evolving landscape of the industry. 

February

*Breaking* Dairy Student of the Year 2024 goes to Jon Witter from . Massive congratulations ??

— Dairy-Tech (@Dairy_TechUK)

Harper students and alumni secured a range of awards across the month of February.

Jon Witter was named Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers Dairy Student of the Year – the ninth time in a decade a student from the University has taken the trophy.

The final year BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Animal Science student secured the prize after impressing a panel of dairy professionals with a presentation on “The UK dairy industry in 10 years’ time” at the awards finals in London - after initially impressing them with his responses to a case study looking at real-life farming challenges.  

Ten days later, a former Royal Marine Commando’s inspiring University journey saw him named a winner at the British Education Awards 2024.

Stuart Rowlands – who graduated from his  BSC (Hons) Rural Property Management course at Harper Adams last year and is now pursuing a PhD at the University – was named as Zone One Degree Winner for his academic achievements.

The prize is the latest success for Stuart since he began his studies five years ago. He joined Harper Adams as a mature student after 10 years serving as a Commando, unsure if University was the right choice - and is now pursuing a PhD which he is working on in partnership with supermarket chain Morrisons.

A week later,  Annie Stones was named as the winner of the Women in Agriculture award at the Northern Farmer awards. Since graduating from her BSc (Hons) Animal Production Science degree at Harper Adams in 2021, Annie has worked as a full-time animal feed firm nutrition adviser. She is chairwoman of YFC Reeth and a fifth-generation beef and sheep farmer with a passion for showing sheep.

She said: “Just getting nominated for two awards was amazing, to then get shortlisted to a finalist was unexpected - but then to actually go on and win the award against two completely deserving women was a complete honour!”

Meanwhile Harper Veterinary Nursing alumna and current  first year  student, Leah Griffiths, was appointed as the National Farm Animal Veterinary Society (FAVS) President 2024–2025. 

After graduating from the Veterinary Nursing and Practice Management degree at ÎÞÂ붯»­ in 2020, Leah worked as a registered veterinary nurse (RVN) in small animal practice. Leah said: “I’ve had a passion for farm animals since the age of two or three, but living in Cambridgeshire, I had very little exposure to livestock farming.  

“Whilst studying at Harper Adams, I met lots of people in the agricultural community and their passion for farming was infectious. I was hooked and couldn't ignore the fact that I really wanted to work with farm animals. Working as an RVN in small animal practice helped to develop my clinical lens, but when the opportunity arose, I followed my passion and went into large animal practice working as an approved TB tester, vet technician, and pharmacist.  

“As National FAVS President, my aim is to bridge the gap between students who are not from a farming background and inspire them to pursue a farm animal veterinary career, using social media as a vehicle to share my enthusiasm and promote the farm vet industry.”

March

An expert in sustainable food and farming was announced as the new Elizabeth Creak Chair in Sustainable Agri-Food Systems at ÎÞÂ붯»­. 

Professor David Rose has already served as an Elizabeth Creak Chair in previous roles in the UK, and as a Visiting Professor at Cornell University in the USA.

His academic expertise has also seen him advise DEFRA, the FAO, AHDB, the UK Parliament and more.  He is a 2023-24 Fulbright Scholar whose research has covered topics as diverse as the sustainability of farm transitions, the adoption of on-farm robotics, and mental health and resilience among farmers. 

In his new role at Harper Adams, he combines both his experience, and that of his fellow Harper Adams academics, to drive forward a step change in agricultural practices which will improve farming for both people and planet.

A group of MPs developing a report on education and careers in land-based sectors were welcomed to the University to hold a rare evidence-gathering session away from the Parliamentary estate.

The formal Parliamentary proceedings were part of a series being held by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee, which was investigating the relationship between education and the land-based industries and how effective current education at all levels is at equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge for the sector.

It was the first Parliamentary evidence session held at ÎÞÂ붯»­.

Before the session, the Committee toured parts of the University campus and Future Farm, and afterwards they held an informal discussion with Harper Adams students about their studies, what brought them study at the University, and their thoughts on the Committee’s investigation.

Later in the month, the President of the British Chambers of Commerce was welcomed to Harper Adams.

Digital entrepreneur Martha Lane-Fox, co-founder of Europe’s largest travel and leisure website lastminute.com, was guest of honour at the event, where she met a group of Shropshire Chamber patrons.

Baroness Lane-Fox, who has a seat in the House of Lords and was elected president of the BCC in October 2022, said: “Shropshire is such an interesting and varied county.

“I’m fortunate in my role to get a real sense of how businesses are performing, the concerns they have, and also what the next 10 years in this country is going to look like.

“I’m a curious person and I love learning about what’s going on. But more importantly, I’m a fully vested member of the UK who has started businesses here and had every benefit, and the most amazing career in this country. I care deeply about helping in my own small way to make it the best it can be by 2030. Building a great narrative about British business is a big part of that.”

Black Poplars were planted on the ÎÞÂ붯»­ Future Farm as part of a wider programme of re-introduction of the rare trees to the UK.

The plants are four of only 7,000 pure bred trees which are left in the UK, and came to Harper Adams via the Chester Zoo  project.

April

A final year Agriculture with Animal Science student was named as one of the inaugural winners of the Nuffield Next-Gen Scholarship.

The Scholarships were set up as a pilot programme for 2024 with the intention to develop young talent and lead positive change in agriculture, and BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Animal Science student Kirsten Henry was one of three recipients chosen.

Kirsten, from Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, was one of three successful scholars picked for the programme, open to applicants in Northern Ireland aged 18-24 with a demonstratable interest in the dairy industry.

Forestry stars of the future were given the chance to take root in their careers thanks to the generosity of a Harper Adams alumnus. 

John Hepworth studied for a National Diploma in Agriculture at the University before going on to build an award-winning career in forestry. His studies in the 1950s had such an impact on him that he later decided to fund a scholarship in conjunction with the University’s Development Trust – which has now shaped students’ forestry careers for more than a decade and a half.  

John said: “The best thing that ever happened to me was to go to Harper between ’57 and ’59, as this set my path to be successful in my career.

“As a thank you, I started the John Hepworth Scholarship - now 23 students have left to be Stars of the Future in Forestry.” 

Each year, two students receive a scholarship of £2,000, which they can use to fund their studies, to cover the cost of educational equipment – or even, as one recipient has done, to buy their own trees. 

Harper Adams was named best University in the UK for its reputation among employers in agriculture and forestry in newly-released rankings. 

The University was announced as the leading UK University and the second in the world, behind Wageningen University in The Netherlands, in its subject area in the 2024 QS World University rankings – following a tradition where it has held a top two place globally for more than six years.

This year, Harper has also risen to become a top 150 global university in its field – and its highest spot in the global rankings so far. 

In other rankings, the University has also risen in the metrics examining the number of citations per paper its academics produce, and in its academic reputation.

Meanwhile, career prospects for students at ÎÞÂ붯»­ were once again voted the best in the country - for the eighth successive time.

Student reviews saw Harper Adams once again take home the trophy from the  Student Choice Awards, or WUSCAs, for the Career Prospects category. The University has taken the award every year since 2016, except in 2021, when the awards were not held due to the covid-19 pandemic.

May

More than £600,000 was awarded to scholars at a record-breaking Harper Adams Scholarship Presentation – with a dozen new Scholarships also announced.

The annual ceremony is organised by The ÎÞÂ붯»­ Development Trust – with this year’s the first for new Trust Chair,  Richard Hambleton.

Mr Hambleton said: “This year, once again, our generous sponsors and donors’ support means the Development Trust can provide funding that enables our students to achieve their ambitions.

“Once again, too, we have had a tremendous set of applications for the scholarships, and the students who have been selected can all be justly proud of what they have achieved.

“In the last six months, I have seen first-hand the unique qualities of dynamic energy and passion of young people who wish to make a difference in their chosen fields, and I have no doubt that any challenge can be mastered if we all continue to work together. 

Businessman and food campaigner Henry Dimbleby received an Honorary Doctorate from ÎÞÂ붯»­.

Mr Dimbleby worked on both the School Food Plan and the National Food Strategy for the UK Government, founded the Leon Restaurant Group and co-founded the Sustainable Restaurant Association, and wrote Ravenous, an exploration of the global food system, with his wife Jemima Lewis. He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his work on improving school food, and set up Chefs in Schools, a charity which recruits restaurant chefs to work in schools to boost both school lunches and food education.

His award, from Harper Adams, was made in recognition of his significant contribution to the creation of sustainable food systems, and for enhancing the public understanding of the importance of food production as a public good.

A Harper student voted a Rising Star at the first ever National Women in Agriculture awards said she hoped her success would inspire other young people.

BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Crop Management student Eleanor Gilbert was named the winner  – and adds the trophy to a host of other prizes, including being named Countryfile Young Countryside Champion 2022 at the BBC Food and Farming Awards.

A new scholarship to support the health and wellbeing of people in the farming community was launched by The Farming ÎÞÂ붯»­ Network (FCN) and the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust (NFST).

The FCN / Len’s Light Nuffield Farming Scholarship was inspired by Warwickshire farmers Andy and Lynda Eadon, who lost their son Len, a Harper Adams alumnus, to suicide in January 2022.

It will sponsor Nuffield Scholars focusing on topics that support people in farming and rural communities; help to address issues of loneliness and isolation; explore health inequalities in farming / rural communities; or encourage a positive mindset and help to build resilience.

June

An international collaboration to boost knowledge exchange around autonomous engineering  saw a group of Harper Adams students visiting the United States.

The six final-year Masters Engineering students were the first to make what is set to be a series of visits in the next few years, with a focus on autonomous agriculture, to Mississippi State University (MSU) in Starkville.

 The idea for the exchange was sparked at first by a visit to Mississippi in Autumn 2023 by Harper Adams Senior Engagement Fellow, and Principal Investigator of , Kit Franklin.

He said: “Having visited MSU to share some of my experiences of agriculture autonomy projects at the launch of the AAI last autumn, I saw many possible synergies with Harper Adams Engineering and MSU. After some initial conversations about academic interaction during that visit, it was great to have this initial exchange arranged so quickly.” A group of MSU students then visited the Harper Adams campus in July.

A Beacon celebrating the light of peace which emerged from the darkness of war was lit at a special ceremony at Chetwynd Deer Park to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

The ceremony was a collaboration between Newport and District Agricultural Society, and ÎÞÂ붯»­. The beacon – which was originally designed by Harper Adams Engineering students for her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee – was one of hundreds of Beacons and Lamp Lights of Peace which were lit at 9.15pm precisely across the country.

An innovative concrete trough design for a Shropshire firm helped a Harper Adams Engineering student secure a £1,000 prize.

Fourth year MEng Mechanical Engineering student, Will Creed, from Cheshire, was picked as the winning student in a new product competition launched by Elite Precast Concrete, based in Telford.

Students were challenged to design a concrete water trough that could be manufactured in Telford commercially – with Will’s trough being selected as the winning entry. He returned to the company’s offices to pick up a £1,000 prize – and will also have the chance to have his entry produced and marketed the company.

The work of the Apprenticeship team at Harper Adams was commended as ‘good’ in its inspection by OFSTED – with its work on behaviour and attitudes rated ‘outstanding.’

The team, who include a cross-section of Harper Adams departments and professional services employees, are helping provide apprenticeships to 205 students across land and property, veterinary and food sciences, and senior leadership. They were inspected during a visit by Ofsted in late April and early May this year.

Inspectors said: “Apprentices enjoy their learning at the university and display consistently positive behaviours and attitudes towards their learning. They look forward to their block release teaching time on campus, and as a result, their attendance and punctuality are consistently high, despite the work pressures of their job roles."

Hundreds of young people from across Shropshire and Staffordshire were inspired by an internationally-renowned artwork hosted at ÎÞÂ붯»­. 

The University hosted the Future Fest community engagement festival this summer, with artist Michael Pinsky’s Pollution Pods installation among the attractions – alongside an array of food, fun, entertainment and talks. 

In the two weeks preceding Future Fest, a packed schools programme brought more than 350 children from across the West Midlands to experience the Pods for themselves. 

Accompanying the pods on the day itself were entertainment and music, a farmers’ market and street food as well as the Future Food stage, presented in association with ÎÞÂ붯»­ and University College Birmingham, which hosted cooking demonstrations and talks – and the , which ran an Open Farm Day in collaboration with  and welcomed hundreds. 

The free event was supported by Headline Sponsor  – whose meals and tasty samples proved a huge hit with festivalgoers, as well as their food demonstration in the Future Food Stage with Junior Development Chef, Connor Maughan. 

The Pods – which have been seen across the globe, from London to New York and from Melbourne to Madrid – were visiting Shropshire for the first time.