The awards recognise qualities and achievements across a range of categories and act as a benchmark of excellence for higher education. This year’s shortlisted universities were selected by expert judges with a wide range of experience in the higher education sector.

The Sustainability Project award is given to an outstanding initiative that creates and champions a more sustainable living and working environment in the university and beyond, with a demonstrable and lasting legacy. Swansea University has been shortlisted in this category for its SWell (Sustainability and Wellbeing) project. SWell is an app-based programme which pulls together multiple initiatives, campaigns and events, and rewards employees of Swansea University for taking a range of sustainability and wellbeing-related actions.

Heidi Smith, head of sustainability and staff wellbeing, said: “Our nomination for this Sustainability Project Award is deserved recognition for the hard work of all of our staff in the SWell (Sustainability and Wellbeing) Programme. We have almost 1000 staff (and growing) taking part in SWell, and the work is increasingly being seen as sector leading. We are so pleased that it has been noticed by the Guardian for its innovative, engaging and inclusive approach to improving sustainability and wellbeing across our staff community”.

The Business Partnership award is presented to an outstanding university partnership with a business or an industry – regional, national or international – with lasting impact for students, staff and the university. Swansea has made the Guardian shortlist for its COATED2 project. COATED2 is a £6.5 million project led by Dr James Sullivan and Dr Dave Penney from the College of Engineering at Swansea University which aims to produce EngDs in the field of industrial functional coatings with a focus on coatings that generate, store and release energy. Major companies work with the Swansea team, including Tata Steel, BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, and NSG Pilkington, one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of glass.

Alison Parker, business marketing manager, said: “The partnership with Tata and its supply chain has become an exemplary vehicle showcasing the success of industry, local supply chain and academic partnerships. The impact of the partnership is being realised through the leveraging of additional research income, new innovations, a University spinout company, placement opportunities for University students  , work based learning for manufacturing companies and outreach in the local community with regards to demonstrating science and technology’’.

Winners of the Guardian University Awards will be announced at the awards ceremony on Wednesday 29 March.

View the full Guardian University Awards 2017 shortlist.