The British Philosophical Association has announced the inaugural winners of its newly established BPA Prizes, created to celebrate excellence, innovation, and public impact in philosophical research across the UK.
We are delighted that Philosophy at the University of Sheffield has been named Department of the Year. The award comes only a matter of weeks after the department was also ranked in the global top 10 PhD programmes.
The BPA panel’s decision was informed by a reference from Jennifer Saul, Waterloo Chair in Social and Political Philosophy of Language, who praised both its scholarly output and its reputation for collegiality. She noted that the department is widely regarded as one of the “friendliest” in the UK, while also maintaining a global reputation for research excellence.
Saul pointed to Sheffield’s long-standing emphasis on fostering an inclusive and engaging academic culture. Central to this approach is a “legendary” reading group programme, with multiple voluntary groups running each semester - some continuously for over two decades. The department has also been a leader in addressing underrepresentation in philosophy, launching initiatives such as its Women in the History of Philosophy lecture series in 2009 and the more recent Expanding the Canon series.
Other community-building efforts include the internationally recognised “Understanding Value” postgraduate conference, known for its collaborative atmosphere, as well as informal initiatives like the Philosophy Rocks concert series and Annual Reading Weekend in the Peak District.
“Sheffield has shown decisively that research excellence goes hand in hand with diversifying philosophy and building supportive communities,” Saul said, adding that these strengths are “not just compatible but mutually supporting.”
Recent graduates have echoed this assessment, highlighting the department’s welcoming environment and commitment to inclusion.
“Thanks to my Sheffield philosophy family, I became a competent philosopher, a confident woman and a conscientious human being ready for the future ahead,” said Dr Felicity Fu, PhD 2024.
“Completing my master's and PhD at Sheffield’s Philosophy Department was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The department is welcoming, nurturing and the standards of teaching and research are excellent. …The department made countless efforts to make philosophy conceptually and demographically inclusive and diverse, with many programmes directed at equality, diversity and inclusion,” said Dr Tareeq Jalloh, PhD graduate 2024.
The British Philosophical Association Prizes are expected to become a major fixture in the UK philosophical calendar, with this year’s results setting a high bar for future nominees.