The Goin' Awards 2025: Recognizing the Most Successful Student Communities in Higher Education

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Watch the full Goin’ Awards on demand and see how top universities are transforming the student journey.

Most Creative Communications

Engagement begins with communication. This award recognized partners who went above and beyond to reach students creatively, from student-led videos to themed campaigns.

🏆 Winner: University of the Fraser Valley

Finalists:

• University of the Fraser Valley
  
  
• Maynooth University
  
  
• TU Shannon
  
  
• Dublin City University
  
  
• Ca’ Foscari University of Venice

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Best Connected Community

The most connected communities help students build stronger networksleading to faster settlement, improved confidence, and greater retention

🏆 Winner: Dublin City University (41 friendships per student)

Finalists:

• University of Sydney
  
  
• Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  
  
• Technological University of The Shannon
  
  
• Dublin City University
  
  
• Hult International Business School

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Most Vibrant Community

Vibrant communities are where conversations flow and support grows. This award celebrates the places where students didn’t just connect, they kept coming back and sparking fun inside the community.

🏆 Winner: University College London (1.7 million messages, 137 thousand friendships)

Finalists:

• University of Padova
  
  
• University College London
  
  
• University of Bristol
  
  
• Lund University
  
  
• Erasmus University Rotterdam

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Best Integrated Community by Nationality (%)

International diversity is a strength, but it’s integration that makes it meaningful. This award celebrates communities that brought global students together.

🏆 Winner: Koç University (89% cross-national friendships, 77+ nationalities)

Finalists:

• Koç University
  
  
• University of Melbourne
  
  
• University of the Fraser Valley
  
  
• Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
  
  
• Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

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Best Integrated Community by Study (%)

Belonging shouldn’t be limited to one classroom. This award honours communities where students built connections across different academic programs, because maybe your best friend is just next door of you.

🏆 Winner: University of Essex (92% study integration, 200+ study areas represented)

Finalists:

• University of Essex
  
  
• Atlantic Technological University
  
  
• Durham University
  
  
• University of Sydney
  
  
• Loughborough University

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Most Active Champions

Champions, the current students and ambassadors, are key to peer-led support. This award celebrates institutions where Champions went all-in.

🏆 Winner: Humber Polytechnic (31 thousand friendships by champions, 82% of incoming students connected to a Champion)

Finalists:

• Humber Polytechnic
  
  
• University of Padova
  
  
• Dublin City University
  
  
• University College London
  
  
• Hult International Business School

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Most Vibrant Newcomer

Starting strong matters. This category celebrates new partners who launched with energy, community-building, and clear results.

🏆 Winner: University of Hertfordshire (28.5 thousand friendships, 204 thousand messages)

Finalists:

• University of Hertfordshire
  
  
• University of Gothenburg
  
  
• University of Turku
  
  
• University of Oslo
  
  
• Sheridan College

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Best Goin’ Abroad Network Community (GAN)

The Goin’ Abroad Network (GAN) supports students who make their decision to go on exchange or study short term abroad. This award highlights universities who ensured their students had a connected network before going on their next academic adventure.

🏆 Winner: Uppsala University (700+ outbound students, 30+ destinations, 7+ friendships each, most active communities on GAN)

Finalists:

• Uppsala University
  
  
• Erasmus University Rotterdam
  
  
• KU Leuven
  
  
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology
  
  
• University of Helsinki

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Fastest Growing Community

Growth creates momentum, but also shows what a community can truly be once it’s at full scale. This award recognizes institutions who scaled their communities fast without losing impact.

🏆 Winner: University of Bristol (300% growth, 8,600+ students)

Finalists:

• University of Bristol
  
  
• Linkoping University
  
  
• BIMM University
  
  
• University of Strathclyde
  
  
• KU Leuven
  
  

Community Advocate of the Year

2025 was a great year for community, and a big part of our growth is fuelled by trusted partner recommendations. The award recognises partners who championed Goin' to their peers and helped expand the Goin' network.

🏆 Winners (tie):

• Erasmus University Rotterdam – for hosting the International Staff Week and championing community-focused onboarding
  
  
• Hult International Business School – for their product advocacy, trust, and role in unlocking Goin’s Ivy League and US Market entry
  
  

Finalists:

• Erasmus University Rotterdam
  
  
• Hult International Business School
  
  
• Lund University
  
  
• University of Antwerp
  
  
• University West

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Community Innovator of the Year

Celebrates a university team that helped shape Goin's product, feature, and vision for the future of community building in higher education.

🏆 Winner: Matia (for contributions to the Goin’ Score and data-led engagement strategies)

Finalists:

• Matia
  
  
• Maria Lindblad
  
  
• Joachim Ekström
  
  
• Menno Keizer
  
  
• Rebecca de Vos
  
  

All-Time Goin’ Innovator

As the very first university to believe in Goin’, and the first to turn student connection into a conversion strategy, this award celebrates unwavering trust and trailblazing belief.

🏆 Winner: Jessica Winters, Utrecht University

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A Final Thanks

To every nominated university, Champion, and community builder: thank you. You made 2025 the most connected year in Goin's history.

We’re proud of what we’ve built together, and we’re just getting started. To all our partners: thank you for believing in connection before arrival, and for making your community a place where students feel like they belong.