Space Engineering Course Receives Royal Recognition

Loughborough College and the National Space Academy have soared to new heights with the prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize for its ground-breaking Space Engineering Programme. Recognised for exceptional contributions, staff and students were invited to Buckingham Palace to receive the esteemed award. Reaffirming the colleges status as leaders in space education and innovation.

Presented by Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the accolade was given for the College’s unique Space Engineering programme with the National Space Academy.

The ground-breaking programme offers a world-class qualification to aspiring engineers, physicists, and astronauts. As the only course of its kind, the academically intensive programme blends A-Level Mathematics and A-Level Physics with a BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Engineering, which is equivalent to four A-Levels.

Heather Clarke, Acting Principal and CEO at Loughborough College said: “It was such an honour to receive the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for our fantastic Space Engineering Programme in partnership with the National Space Academy. This is a truly unique and innovative course, so it was fantastic to celebrate the achievements and successes of the programme with our staff and students during the ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

 “As our most academically demanding course, the Space Engineering programme prepares our students for the rigours of studying and working in the thriving aerospace industry, something which is evident in the destinations of work and study our learners go onto. We are so proud of all that we’ve achieved - there really is no higher award in education.”

Students on the programme enjoy high quality teaching which covers various aspects of engineering co-delivered at the Loughborough College campus and the National Space Centre, giving learners access to cutting-edge technology and innovation. Throughout their time at the College, they receive masterclasses conducted by space industry experts and gain insights from leading astronauts.

Sophie Allan, NSA Head of Teaching and Learning, said: “It has been such a privilege to help develop and teach this course. From the beginning, our aim was to provide experiences, insight and skills development which would make our students ready to excel in their next steps within the space, aerospace, and wider STEM sectors. The course was designed, and is continually adapted, with space and aerospace industry partners’ input, ensuring that our students are as equipped as possible to deal with the ever-changing needs of the sector. We are still in touch with many of our former students, and it is wonderful to see how they are progressing through their varied and exciting careers.

“We hugely value our partnership with Loughborough College, and together we have crafted something incredibly unique and special. Combining outstanding teaching and facilities at the college with first-class teaching and space sector knowledge at the National Space Academy, our students are encouraged and challenged to become the best they can be, all while learning about the UK's thriving and growing space sector. We look forward to continuing to adapt the course to meet industry needs, and to nurture and inspire our students to become the engineering leaders of tomorrow.