Anglia Ruskin’s Vice Chancellor Professor Michael Thorne, with the university’s head of risk management Paul Varley, and Errol Taylor, deputy chief executive of RoSPA.

Anglia Ruskin University has received a top award for health and safety – the first UK education establishment to gain a level 5 Quality Safety Audit Award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

Anglia Ruskin University has received a top award for health and safety – the first UK education establishment to gain a level 5 Quality Safety Audit Award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

The university put measures in place to protect the 28,000 students and 1,000 academic staff based at the two main campus sites in Cambridge and Chelmsford.

Errol Taylor, Rospa’s deputy chief executive, presented the award.

He said: “Anglia Ruskin’s recent audit, its fourth in nine years, found that a great deal of good work, led by a team of dedicated professionals, is ongoing.

“A wide range of issues is being covered including insurance, corporate risk, first aid and fire safety, all of which are being addressed in the challenging environment of a transient university population.”

Anglia Ruskin’s risk management team is headed up by Paul Varley.

Vice Chancellor professor Michael Thorne said: “This top level award proves we are doing everything we can, and more, to provide a safe and secure environment for our students and staff to work.

“We have always been ahead of other educational establishments and we are extremely proud we are maintaining this position within the whole of the UK.”

Rospa’s quality safety auditor visited the university in March, for a full health and safety audit which lasted five days.