A HAMPSHIRE university has been recognised in the ‘Oscars of higher education’ for its research and entrepreneurship.

Southampton Solent University has been shortlisted in two categories -‘Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences’ for its Gender, Empowerment and Multicultural Crews (GEM) project, and ‘Outstanding University Entrepreneurship Award’ in the prestigious Times Higher Education awards 2017.

Solent University’s GEM research project led by Dr Kate Pike, a senior research fellow investigated the welfare needs of seafarers, of which 2% are woman, and how they were treated on-board in today’s modern present working environment.

Launched in 2015 by the International Maritime Organisation in London and funded by ITF Seafarers’ Trust, the research took a global perspective by examining the welfare of seafarers in the UK, China, and Nigeria.

The findings provided recommendations for practical solutions and guidance on how the global shipping industry could better support seafarers’ welfare, in particular women.

Now, as a result, the findings are being taken up and an on-board mentoring program is now being developed following sponsorship from the ITF Seafarers’ Trust and collaboration with the major maritime union, Nautilus.

Alongside this, the university’s shortlisting in ‘Outstanding University Entrepreneur Award’ was sparked after the Southampton institution increased the percentage of graduates in professional, managerial employment, freelance activities and business start-ups.

To be able to do this, the university launched several schemes to get graduates into employment which included a start-up programme which offer a programme of workshops, training days and funding to support student and graduate business start-ups and Solent Creatives, a university in house creative agency which provides students with the opportunity to work on freelance projects for local, national and international businesses.

The winners will be announced at the Times Higher Education awards ceremony in London on Thursday, November 30.