Congratulations to the class of 2020

Today the University celebrates the class of 2020, who have graduated under unprecedented circumstances.

Head of Department Malcolm Tait congratulates the class of 2020

Within the Department of Urban Studies and Planning we recognise that our students have responded to the stress and uncertainty of the last few months with great determination and resourcefulness. They are a credit to themselves and to the department, and will doubtless also be a credit to the wider planning industry.

While all of our students have showed remarkable resilience, this is also the time of year when we celebrate those students who have received prizes in recognition of their exceptional performance:

Congratulations to Chloe Young, who won the ADH Crook Prize for Contributions towards Social Justice in Planning. This prize was established by a former Pro Vice Chancellor of the University and now Emeritus Professor in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. It is awarded annually in recognition of a significant contribution made to the theory and/or practice of improving social justice through spatial planning.

Congratulations to Luca Veress and Jasmine Loades-Allmond who were jointly awarded the Turley Prize. This prize is awarded annually for the best performance by a student in the first year of study for the Master of Planning degree in Urban Studies and Planning.

Congratulations to Orla Downs and Cameron Pescud who were jointly awarded the Turley Dissertation Prize. This prize is awarded annually for the best performance in either Independent Specialised Study in Geography and Planning, or Independent Specialised Study in Planning.

Congratulations again to Orla Downs who also won the JR James Book Prize in Urban Studies for her exceptional performance in her final exams.


I know that the last year has been one of significant disruption, and to secure the results that you did is incredibly impressive. I was massively impressed by your resilience, creativity and determination in adapting to a completely new way of doing things.

Professor Malcolm Tait

Head of Department