Blackpool and The Fylde College students first to be recognised at prestigious international awards

By Blackpool and the Fylde College

12 Dec 2016

Two Blackpool and The Fylde College graduates have become the first ever college-based higher education students to be recognised at the world’s largest academic awards event.

The Undergraduate Awards (UA) recently gathered 150 of the top undergraduate students in Dublin for the 2016 UA Global Summit. Often referred to as the “junior Nobel Prize”, the Undergraduate Awards recognises excellent research and original work across the sciences, humanities, business and creative arts.

This year, two students from the Project Management Centre of Excellence at B&FC became the first non-university undergraduates to be recognised among the finest entrants in the world – an accomplishment which has been hailed as a “huge achievement” by the organisers.

Russell Halton, 24, from Croston, was named Europe Regional Winner in the Business category for his dissertation: “The Nature of Project Management – What we can learn from Biomimicry.”

His colleague Alex Guarracino, 24, from Fulwood, was highly commended for his dissertation: “Passion in Project Management - A necessary ingredient for success?”

Alex studied a five-year honours degree in Project Management at Blackpool and The Fylde College through his employer, BAE Systems.

He said: “It was a real privilege to be recognised by the Undergraduate Awards and hopefully this shows the quality of the programme at the College.

“I often tell people about the standard of education at the College, you get a lot more one-to-one support than just being sat in a lecture theatre with 300 other people.

“The summit in Dublin was a fantastic networking event. In my room alone, I was with scientists from Sweden and Singapore and a graduate from Princeton University in the United States.

“These are people who will be at the top of their fields in years to come so it was really interesting to meet so many of them. It was an inspirational event and I would encourage any students thinking about it to enter.”

Programme Leader Andy Smith, from the Project Management Centre of Excellence, added, “Russ and Alex are the first college-based higher education students ever to be highly-commended at the Undergraduate Awards.

“For Russ’ work to then be judged the top business dissertation for the whole of Europe, beating students from such prestigious universities as Trinity College Dublin, University of St Andrews and the University of Exeter, makes us extremely proud.”

UA Chief Executive Louise Hodgson said: “This is a huge achievement for Blackpool and The Fylde College and its students.

“UA received the highest number of submissions to date with only the best papers making it through the judging process - the competition was extremely tough and the judges were astounded at the high quality of undergraduate research in the programme this year.”

The Undergraduate Awards this year received 5,514 papers from students at 244 institutions and representing 121 nationalities. In total, 58 different universities and 37 different nationalities were represented at the UA Global Summit this year. The successful students received medals and certificates for their work and were addressed by the keynote speaker, NASA astronaut Dr Mae Jemison.

Latest news

1

Three weekly domestic waste collection considered in plans Waste recycling Blackpool

Three weekly domestic waste collection considered in plans

01 Jul 2025

2

Graham Engineering confirms acquisition to a2e Industries Graham Engineering

Graham Engineering confirms acquisition to a2e Industries

01 Jul 2025

3

Training 2000 celebrate 'Good' rating by Ofsted Training 2000

Training 2000 celebrate 'Good' rating by Ofsted

01 Jul 2025

4

Fox Group acquires J Fisher and Sons Colin Fisher, Paul Fox CEO and Gary Fisher.

Fox Group acquires J Fisher and Sons

01 Jul 2025

5

Beever and Struthers strengthen leadership team with new partners Dean Curtis and Joe Diston

Beever and Struthers strengthen leadership team with new partners

01 Jul 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
02 Jul 2025 - 02 Jul 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July

St John's Hospice, Slyne Road, Lancaster, LA2 6ST

08:00 - 10:00

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4
LBV Hub Seminars
04 Jul 2025 - 04 Jul 2025

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

08:30 - 11:00

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase
unnamed (2).jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
09 Jul 2025 - 09 Jul 2025

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase

Crow Wood Hotel, Burnley, BB12 0RT

09:30 - 16:00

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?
July Longer Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Jul 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:30

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July
Longer July Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
31 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin