When Teesside University was “terrorised” by anti-immigration rioters last summer, it could have been one of the lowest moments in Paul Croney’s long stint in charge of the north-east institution.

Instead, Teesside’s status as the “beating heart” of the local community inspired volunteers from across the area to help with the clean-up in a “moving” affirmation of the position it holds in Middlesbrough.  

Croney will have led the institution for more than 11 years when he retires next summer, having completed his second five-year strategy alongside the “best staff [he’s] ever worked with”.

“It’s been quite a journey, and you should always know when to leave the party,” he told 51�Թ�.

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Teesside certainly enjoyed the �ձᷡ��Awards 2025 party in Edinburgh, where it was crowned University of the Year. In doing so, it became the first modern university to win the annual prize for the second time, after a previous win in 2009.

Croney said this reflects the commitment and drive of staff and a vision that puts “students at the heart of everything” – as well as “rising to the challenge” of Teesside’s location.

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Learn more about the winners in our special publication

The north-east is one of the country’s most deprived regions, with more than half of all children in Middlesbrough growing up in poverty. Almost 90 per cent of Teesside’s intake come from disadvantaged backgrounds, and the university accepts more students from low-participation .

“It’s a really challenging context. What do you do about that? You don’t go around moaning and trying to plead victim status.

“It’s about demonstrating ambition and vision that despite where you are a lot can be achieved. The mission is to transform lives and economies, and we have done that in spades.”

Teesside was one of just 15 universities to achieve “triple gold” in last year’s Teaching Excellence Framework. And Croney said the “learning gain” was one of the reasons why he thinks the institution was recognised by the THE Awards judges.

“It’s a hard gig getting the students to the point where we get them to. To get that with the intake we have is quite phenomenal really and very rewarding.”

In addition to winning the marquee prize, Teesside was a finalist in the Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community category with a project which helped deliver a Ramadan football programme.

The project stands in marked contrast to the riots that blighted the campus in August last year when those attending an English Defence League march caused “extensive damage” to university buildings. 

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Croney said several hundred “sinister individuals” swarmed onto campus and began “terrorising” and endangering staff and students and smashing things up. Students who were racially abused in the gym and the student union had to be evacuated and escorted home by security.

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There were fears that the rioters might attempt to burn down the library where people where sheltering, as they did to a hotel in Rotherham hosting asylum seekers at around the same time. Thankfully, a police riot squad arrived and dispersed them but disorder continued for hours afterwards.

“I had 40 members of staff and students [who had] taken sanctuary [there], and if they had firebombed the library, I would have had a major incident on my hands,” Croney reflects today.

Although symptomatic of a national issue, it was a “dreadful afternoon” for the university, which led to some staff and students needing ongoing counselling, Croney said.

The incident occurred just two weeks before the Ucas clearing window opened – a vital period for student recruitment – so Croney said he had tried his best to contain the issue.

The next morning, local community members, members of parliament, faith leaders, and many others arrived with brushes to clean up the debris, which Croney said reflects Teesside’s position as a “pillar of the community” and as the “beating heart of Teesside”.

“Everybody came out to clean up, and to reaffirm their commitment to the university, which was very moving.”

As well as being University of the Year, Teesside will also host the prestigious Turner Prize at its Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (Mima) in 2026.

Along with its all-weather football pitch and hosting of community activities, Croney said this was all part of Teesside’s role as a civic university which takes part in the “workings of the town” and acts as a “good citizen”.

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“I don’t think we would be seen as standing aloof from the town, we’re part of it.”

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com