Christel Adamou and Dr Orna Rosenfeld were named on 26 February as winners representing Europe in the British Council’s prestigious Study UK alumni awards.
Ms Adamou, a graduate of the University of Durham, was honoured for her outstanding achievements in the Professional Achievement Award category, which recognises alumni who have distinguished themselves through exemplary leadership in their professional field.
Dr Rosenfeld, who studied at the University of Sheffield and the University of Westminster, won the top prize in the Social Impact Award, given to former UK students who demonstrate exceptional contribution to creating positive social change.
Upon receiving the award, Ms Adamou said:
I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been chosen as the recipient of the Study UK Professional Achievement Award 2021 in the EU region. This award is testimony to the significant importance a UK education can play in opening doors to a great career.
Dr Rosenfeld said:
I am deeply honoured to have been selected as a winner of the Study UK Social Impact Award 2021 for Europe. I am earnestly grateful for the recognition of a decade of work for the advancement of the housing and affordable housing sector in the European Union and the Global North.
More than 1,300 former students of 148 UK universities from 114 countries around the world were nominated for the awards, all of whom have achieved success in business, as entrepreneurs and community leaders, and have supported their own and international communities thanks to their experience of studying in the UK.
The two winners were selected by a panel of four judges, including Patrizia Bussi, Director of the European Network of Social Integration Enterprise (ENSIE); Dr Vassili Apostolopoulos, CEO of Athens Medical Group; Professor Malcolm Press, Vice Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University and Trustee of the British Council; and Sheila Lumsden OBE, Deputy Regional Director EU Europe for the British Council.
The Entrepreneurial Award was won by Konstantina Bethani from Greece, an alumna of the University of Essex.
Andy Mackay, Regional Director EU Europe at the British Council, said:
‘We at the British Council are proud to recognise these outstanding individuals who have taken their UK education as a starting point to excel in their chosen careers and shape the world around them. They are a symbol of the enduring connections between people in the UK and European countries and have gone on to develop ever stronger connections with the UK and internationally.
‘Over 147,800 European students studied at UK universities in 2019-20, while 90 per cent of UK international graduates say they have progressed further in their careers than their peers who studied elsewhere. We look forward to seeing many more European and UK students following these alumni, learning, exchanging knowledge and succeeding in a way that is only possible with an internationally connected education.’
For more information on the award or on the biography of the winners, please contact:
Lizzy Maddison at communications@britishcouncil.fr
Notes to Editors
About the Study UK Alumni Awards
The Study UK Alumni Awards were developed by the British Council and UK universities, and were launched by the British Council in September 2014. They are open to alumni currently residing in any country outside the UK, who have studied in the UK, at an officially recognised provider of UK university degree level study for a minimum of a term or semester, or who have been awarded a full UK degree level qualification (or higher), by a UK university, within the last 15 years.
Award winners and finalists are leaders in their fields who have used their experience of studying at a UK university to make a positive contribution to their communities, professions and countries. The Alumni Awards celebrate and showcase the impact and value of a UK higher education and raises the profile and reputation of UK alumni, their former universities, and the whole of UK education.
Awards are presented in three categories:
- Professional Achievement Award
Recognising UK alumni who have distinguished themselves through exemplary leadership and achievements in their professional industry, and who can demonstrate the impact and scale of their achievements in their profession, and beyond.
- Entrepreneurial Award
Recognising UK alumni who are active in initiating or contributing to innovative and creative new ideas and solutions, and/or business opportunities that have the potential for strong growth.
- Social Impact Award
Recognising UK alumni who have made an exceptional contribution and commitment to creating positive social change and improving the lives of others.
More details
- for full details about the Study UK Alumni Awards Europe 2021, including names of all eight finalists
- for full details about the Study UK Alumni Awards
- for a list of previous Study UK Alumni Award recipients
British Council Study UK in Europe
The British Council, together with our university partners in the UK and across Europe, are here to help EU students understand some of the practical changes to applying to and studying in the UK from 1 January 2021 onwards. Through the Study UK campaign, we show students from Europe and around the world the benefits of studying in the UK and give them the confidence to start their UK education journey.
The UK education sector is one of the most international in the world, and students and staff from the EU and beyond make an enormous contribution to the UK and the success of its education institutions.
In 2019-20, over 555,600 international undergraduates and postgraduates chose to study in the UK – that’s one in five of the UK’s students, and 10 per cent of all the world’s international students. Of those, over a quarter (147,800) came from EU countries (see HESA data and statistics).
British Council research in 2020 showed that the UK was the highest rated study abroad destination for quality of teaching and research among students from European countries. Some 90 per cent of international students say they are very satisfied with their UK education experience (International Graduate Outcomes, 2019).
With UK graduates rated as among the most employable in the world (QS Graduate Employability Rankings), a UK education is a bridge to the world, and to a bright and successful future. 90 per cent of international students say they have progressed more quickly in their career, and earn more than peers educated elsewhere (International Graduate Outcomes, 2019).
More information about studying in the UK can be found:
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We build connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language. Last year we reached over 80 million people directly and 791 million people overall including online, and through broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934 we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. We receive a 15 per cent core funding grant from the UK government.
