As the University prepares to switch-off for the Christmas break, we’ve looked back and compiled the top 10 good news stories that you clicked on in 2014. This year, we’ve published a total of 780 posts, which have been viewed 478,548 times (an 18 per cent increase compared to last year).
10. New R. J. Mitchell Wind Tunnel facilities launched by former British Cycling star
Way back in January, we were delighted to announce that our extension to the R. J. Mitchell Wind Tunnel was opened by Chris Boardman MBE. You can find out more about our Wind Tunnel opening here.
9. The University stood up for mental health by hosting its Wellbeing Day
In November, hundreds of University staff members and students attended various activities as part of Wellbeing Day. Here‘s the post that got the conversation started and began to tackle the elephant in the room.
8. Staff come together for the beside the sea themed Staff Party 2014
The combination of crazy golf, live music, and the helter skelter obviously got staff very excited. Here‘s everything else that was planned for the special event.
7. Our Research Excellence Framework results reaffirm our place as a top research University
Southampton is ranked 11th in the UK based on the volume of its high quality research. The exciting results made their way into the top 10 for 2014 after just 24 hours. Read the details of our results here.
6. We celebrate our city with a new video all about the successes of Southampton
Back in May, the University premièred a new video showcasing the city of Southampton. It’s now been seen over 25,000 times, and features a voice-over from Southampton alumnus and BBC Radio 1 presenter, Chris Stark. You can watch the video here.
5. Our students raise thousands for charity and reach Cyprus in Jailbreak challenge
71 students took part in this year’s Raise and Give Jailbreak challenge to travel as far as they could without any money. The teams raised an incredible £7,000 between them and made some exciting viewing as they travelled the world in just 36 hours. You can read more about their challenge here.
4. The Uni-link bus service expanded its connections to Central Station
Staff and students were obviously very happy to hear about the expanded Uni-link bus services this year, as it quickly became one of the most read stories. You can see details about the bus service’s growth here.
3. Southampton celebrates a series of top 20 UK rankings
This year, the University ranked in the top 20 Universities in the UK in the Times Good University Guide, The Guardian University Guide, and the Complete University Guide. Read more about our incredible performance here.
2. The University celebrates the winners of the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards 2014
Individuals and teams from around the University were recognised for their contribution to the University at the awards back in July. You can read about the winners and why they won here.
1. Mayflower Halls are opened by Southampton MP, John Denham
The most read story of 2014 was the opening of Mayflower Halls. The £80m new complex has become home for 1,100 students. You can read more about the opening of the halls here.
If you want to make the 2015 list, then please share your information or good news story with us.