On 24 February 2026, the University of Southampton was given the UK’s highest award for education by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The rail research team travelled from Southampton, Hampshire, to receive the honour for their work in making the nation’s train network more reliable and cheaper to run.
Led by Professor William Powrie, the team has spent more than two decades finding ways to strengthen old railway banks and slopes against heavy rain and heatwaves. This research helps to stop tracks from sliding or breaking during extreme weather, which keeps trains moving for local passengers.
The team’s discoveries have also saved the country billions of pounds by finding smarter ways to install electric lines. Instead of rebuilding every old bridge to fit new cables, their methods allow the work to be done without expensive and disruptive construction projects.
The award is officially known as the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education and is handed out every two years. It was recently renamed to honour the late Queen and celebrates universities that solve real-world problems for the public.
This was the second royal meeting this month for Professor Powrie, who was also at Windsor Castle on 17 February 2026. He was given a CBE, a special honour for his individual service to the engineering profession, just one week before the team received their group prize.
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