Here's your latest bitesize roundup of news from around the university and Nottingham over the last month or so.

We're celebrating our summer graduates as we welcome over 7,000 new members to the alumni community and there's a look back at our networking events in the USA at the end of June.

There's also news on Nottingham's ranking as one of the top 10 student cities in the UK and success for Nottingham University Business School's MSc Finance and Investment, ranking among the best in the world – thanks in part to positive feedback from our alumni community. 

Trent Building in sunshine

1. Our summer Class of 2024 cross the stage

July is the most wonderful time of year as we celebrate with all our Class of '24 graduating students! Over 7,000 took the step this summer from student to joining the alumni community.

Our ceremonies also provide an opportunity to recognise the achievements of alumni and friends as they receive honorary degrees, as well as acknowledging our Your Nottingham Alumni Award winners.

We would love to hear your one piece of advice for this summer's graduates by sharing a comment on our LinkedIn post too!

2. Nottingham ranked as one of the best student cities in the world!

According to the QS Best Student Cities ranking 2025, Nottingham is 51st in the world and in the top 10 of the UK cities that are ranked, ahead of the likes of Leeds and Liverpool.

Considering a range of factors, such as affordability, desirability and the opinions of current students, the QS Best Student Cities ranking provides an overview of the best places to live and study around the world.

3. June USA networking events

Late June saw some of the alumni team head across the pond, as we hosted events in Boston, Washington DC and New York!

The former two were part of our informal networking programme and the latter was one of our final events marking 25 years of Nottingham University Business School, with our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shearer West in attendance.

Huge thanks to our International Alumni Ambassador Sophie Bennett (Environmental Science, 2014) for helping organise the New York event, and to our speakers Freya Williams (English, 1996) and Myles Corson (Economics, 1994).

We're now planning our events programme for the autumn – keep an eye on our events page to see if there's an event coming up in your corner of the world!

USA networking June 2024

4. Nottingham University Business School's MSc Finance and Investment ranks among the best in the world

A masters programme offered at Nottingham University Business School has been rated among the best in the world by the Financial Times.

In the 2024 Financial Times Masters in Finance (pre-experience) ranking, Nottingham University Business School has placed 54 overall and in the top ten of the UK-based business schools to be included.

This is in part thanks to input from alumni, as the ranking includes a survey of those who completed their masters degrees in 2021.

You also rated our global alumni network highly, with an overall position of 27. The survey asks alumni various questions about their experience, including their ‘overall satisfaction,’ on a 10-point scale, where Nottingham alumni rated it among the best with an average score of 9.40, which places the school in the global top ten on this measure. 

Read more about the ranking >

5. The Palais will return!

We reported earlier in the year that the nightclub most recently known as Pryzm and more famously known as both Oceana and, for those of a slightly more mature vintage, The Palais had closed down.

In an exciting turn of events, local entertainment moguls the DHP Family have announced their acquisition of the premises! Most well known in the city as the owners of the equally iconic Rock City, as well as other local venues, the group plans to reopen the club as The Palais once again by the middle of September.