DMU wins Estates Team of the Year

De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) has won Estates Team of the Year at a prestigious national higher education awards ceremony.

DMU beat off competition from other universities across the country to be named the best of the best by the Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE).

The Association was full of praise for DMU’s Estates Team for promoting excellence and exceptional achievements within higher education estates and facilities.

DMU was awarded the accolade at a black-tie Gala Dinner on Tuesday (April 10) at the Chapter House, Canterbury Cathedral, as part of the AUDE Annual Conference.  

Team DMU was selected for their exceptional team working leading to significant achievement.

Umesh Desai, Director of Estates and Commercial Services at DMU, said: “We’re absolutely elated to win this national award as voted for by all our peers.

“We’ve won regional awards, but the fact that it is a national accolade makes it all the more special.

“We’re delighted to have won as we were up against some very strong competition as seven other universities were shortlisted.

“This is an award for the whole directorate, it’s all about the team; it is thanks to all the hard work they have put in. Every single member of staff has played a part in this award.”

Umesh was presented with the AUDE 2018 Estates Team of the Year Award at the glitzy awards ceremony.

He then emailed all Estates and Commercial Services staff to tell them the great news and to thank them for their hard work.

Umesh wrote to staff: “This is a national award given by our peers across the university sector and is in recognition of the excellent work you do every day in making our campus a fantastic place to work and study. You have all played a part in DMU Estates securing this award, and I am truly proud to lead us as a dedicated and motivated team.”

Umesh, who is the Secretary of the AUDE Executive Group, believes the secret to a great Estates team is “dedication, motivation, believing in each other and working for each other.”

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It is the first time DMU has entered the annual AUDE Awards, which have been running for four years. The awards recognise the achievements of the universities with the best practice for leading the way in estate and facilities management.

The judging panel were looking for teams, projects and individuals who have made a significant contribution to the sector by upholding excellence and value for money, in order to promote efficiency and effectiveness.

Jane White, Executive Director of AUDE, said they were impressed with how the team had worked together on such a huge campus transformation project.

She said: “Our judges were very interested in the new type of funding bond that De Montfort have developed, and which is potentially applicable widely across the higher education sector.

“We felt this team were deserving winners due to the scale of the transformation to DMU’s city centre campus, and its highly strategic approach.”

The three-day AUDE 2018 conference at the University of Kent aimed to inform and update university directors on the current opportunities and challenges across the Higher Education sector. This year’s speakers included Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, former Commander-in-Chief Fleet of the Royal Navy, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes, explorer and endurance record-holder.