UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 09 NOVEMBER 2012
Vice-Chancellor at Birmingham City University, Professor David Tidmarsh, has been awarded a prestigious Gold Medal award for his inspirational leadership and determination to forge stronger collaborative research driven links between industry and academia.
The Off-highway Plant and Equipment Research Centre (OPERC) only awards Gold Medals to a select number of ‘philanthropic individuals who have consistently demonstrated an uninterrupted, distinguished and notable voluntary service to academia and industry’.
Professor Tidmarsh was unable to attend the OPERC International Awards for Excellence (IAE), held in conjunction with OPERC’s annual Plant and Equipment Management and Innovation Conference (PEMIC); so the award ceremony was brought to him!
He was awarded the Gold Medal for his outstanding contribution to UK academia and for providing leadership that has seen Birmingham City University leap 30 places up the Universities league tables and was nominated for the award by colleague at Birmingham City Business School, Professors Christopher Prince and David Edwards.
I feel very surprised and honoured to receive this award. I am immensely proud that the achievements of the University have been recognised externally and I’m confident that Birmingham City University will continue its rapid progress after my retirement at the end of this year. I look forward to following the University’s fortunes with interest.” Professor Tidmarsh
Professor David Edwards, Head of Research and Director of the Centre for Business Innovation & Enterprise at Birmingham City Business School, added: “We thought it fitting to present the award in front of David’s peers – people who he has worked closely with during his time here, as a way of congratulating and thanking him on 18 great years of service at Birmingham City University.”