SERC has been shortlisted in several categories for the all-island Education Awards 2026. The Education Awards, now in their ninth year, were established to honour excellence and innovation across Ireland’s higher and further education sectors.
Designed to highlight achievements in areas like student success, infrastructure, sustainability, and digital learning, the awards embrace both State-funded and private institutions island-wide. SERC has been shortlisted in four categories Excellence in Sustainability; Best Student Experience; Best Further Education Provider; and Innovative Access to Third-Level Education. SERC are the only Northern Ireland college of further and higher education to be shortlisted across the categories and are up against universities north and south for the Innovative Access to Third-Level Education category.
SERC’s dynamic delivery shone through a diverse range of innovative initiatives that enhance education, widen participation, and strengthen community impact. From bespoke on‑campus work experience for students with learning disabilities at Truffle, a vintage shop, to pioneering sustainability education with the UK’s first Level 5 retrofit qualifications and hands‑on green skills training; from dedicated programmes such as We Can Engineer achieving significant rises in female engineering enrolments, to the CARE Project which is breaking down barriers for adults returning to learning through tailored support and accessible community-based provision, SERC is empowering thousands of students each year to develop practical, employable skills while tackling real-world challenges —from growing talent and upskilling for the fire and security sector, to food poverty interventions. The college continually adapts to industry and societal needs.
Winners will be announced at a gala dinner on Thursday, 16 April at the Johnstown Estate Hotel & Spa, County Meath.
