Kindly supported by UPP Foundation.
We are pleased to share an update on the NEON Awards 2026, now in their twelfth year. This year’s Awards will take place at the prestigious Palace of Westminster on the 3rd of June from 3.30pm, bringing together leaders, practitioners, and students from across the widening access community.
The NEON Awards celebrate excellence in widening access to higher education (HE), recognising both the transformational work of institutions and practitioners, and the achievements of students who have progressed to HE from underrepresented backgrounds. The ceremony will include the presentation of awards, a short official address from an MP, and opportunities for networking.
Nominations Now Closed
Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations for the 2026 Awards. The nomination window closed at 5.30pm on Friday, 27 March 2026. We are grateful for the time, effort, and thoughtful submissions from across the sector.
Shortlisting will now take place, and all nominees will be contacted in due course with the outcome. Full category details and award criteria remain available [here] for reference.
Award Categories
Full details on each category and the awards criteria can be found here.
Message of Support
The 2026 NEON Awards are kindly supported by the UPP Foundation.
Commenting on this year’s Awards, NEON Director Martin Webster said:
“Given UPP Foundation’s 2025 Widening Participation Inquiry, and their clear commitment to the widening participation agenda, we are absolutely delighted to work with them on this year’s NEON Awards.”
You can learn more about the UPP Foundation’s 2025 Widening Participation Inquiry by clicking here.
