University status led to greater emphasis on expansion. New degrees attracted students from further afield and helped Teesside gain an international reputation in niche markets.

Teesside University is a leading university with an international reputation for academic excellence that provides an outstanding student and learning experience underpinned by research, enterprise and the professions.

Teesside is a real-world university that prides itself on its inclusive, consultative, responsive, friendly and open approach and on the significant positive social, economic and cultural impact that it has upon the communities that it serves and the wider economy of the North of England.Founded on a rich heritage, the University has taken a leading role in employer engagement, the enhancement of learning, teaching and the student experience, real-world research, staff and leadership development, employer workforce development, social, cultural and community enrichment and widening participation.This bold commitment and vision culminated in the University becoming the first modern university to receive recognition as the Times Higher Education UK University of the Year. More recently the University was awarded The Queen’s Anniversary Prize 2014-18 for world-class excellence in relation to its work with business and the enterprise agenda.Teesside University is a global education pioneer for animation, games and computer graphics and is ranked as one of the top 20 places in the world to study animation (3D World magazine).Teesside has a flourishing and dynamic research culture, producing ‘world-leading and internationally excellent’ research in the last UK Research Evaluation Framework (REF) assessment, which is increasingly making a real and valuable contribution to society in areas such as Social Policy and Allied Health.The University has invested more than £270m on its award-winning campuses in recent years to further enhance the experience and support provided to students, and it remains committed to investment-led growth.