Societies Award winners 2026

This society has built a community centred on empathy and inclusion while working to raise awareness of forced migration and creating spaces for students to engage thoughtfully. Initiatives such as the “Messages of Welcome” campaign with ‘Together with Refugees’ and Student Action for Refugees nationally encouraged students to express solidarity with refugees, while events like migrant listening sessions and academic talks brought expert insight and lived experiences directly to students. Alongside advocacy and education, STAR has consistently run impactful initiatives such as charity runs, clothing drives, and charity fundraisers.  

RUMS Society has had a record-breaking year across community, welfare and advocacy! Through its “RUMS Families” mentorship scheme and inclusive Freshers’ programme, the society created a strong sense of belonging and ensured all students could engage fully in social life. Academically, RUMS expanded tutorials and developed accessible study resources, while its welfare work grew through a highly successful Welfare Week delivered with multiple partners and Grand Challenges funding. The society also demonstrated real institutional impact by advocating for changes to medical school policy and contributing to curriculum review.  

The Central Asian Spring Festival is the world’s largest student-led Central Asian festival, bringing together over 3,000 attendees in a vibrant celebration of Nowruz in the Main Quad. Jointly delivered by the Kazakh Society and Uzbek Society, this year’s festival featured 6 external food vendors, a cultural vendor, and 27 cultural stalls, alongside a full-day stage programme of performances, music, and speakers. This event combined strong organisation, cultural celebration and community impact, making it a truly memorable and well-deserving winner for Event of the Year. 

Through its thoughtful, student-led approach, the 93% Club Society has created a welcoming and empowering community for state-educated students at UCL. By prioritising affordable and accessible events and supportive peer networks, the society has worked to break down barriers that can often make university spaces feel exclusionary. From its inclusive communications to its feedback-driven approach, the 93% Club has embedded inclusivity into every aspect of its work, creating opportunities for students to connect, grow in confidence, and feel a genuine sense of belonging within the UCL community. 

Sikh Society played a standout role in this year’s International Festival, bringing students together through a vibrant and welcoming Langar in the newly refurbished Wilkins Building spaces. The society served over 600 free meals within a couple of hours while creating a space centred on community, generosity and cultural exchange. Throughout the year, the society has also delivered a range of meaningful cultural and faith-based events, all designed to be open and accessible to the wider UCL community, such as the Kirtan Darbar. Their thoughtful planning, strong collaboration with the Students’ Union, and genuine commitment to inclusivity have made a lasting cultural impact at UCL. 

The Data Science Society ran many meaningful events, which created opportunities for students to explore careers in data science. From SQL, Python and ML workshops to industry panels and cross-university hackathons, their activities combined technical learning with real career pathways. Their standout achievement was launching Project Labs – a six-week data science programme built entirely from scratch, which brought together over 110 students across 22 teams to collaborate on portfolio-ready projects in an inspiring peer-learning environment. 

Danilo has made an unparalleled contribution to UCL Societies, serving on the committees of 25 societies and as President of 11. He has delivered an incredible volume and variety of activity, often organising and hosting events every day of the week. From academic talks and guest speakers to welfare initiatives, socials, and large-scale Welcome Week programming, Danilo has created countless opportunities for students to connect and engage. Deeply committed to inclusion and student wellbeing, Danilo has supported students one-on-one, expanded provision for online and postgraduate students, and ensured wider representation across his societies. 

Over her three years at UCL, Malvika has made an outstanding contribution to The Cheese Grater. As Editor-in-Chief, she has led the publication through a record-breaking 5 print editions, overseen major projects such as the “2026 Election Special”, and played a key role in sustaining the publication’s podcast, socials and visual output – resulting in the publication winning “Best Publication in the UK & Ireland” at the SPA National Awards. Alongside her leadership, Malvika has consistently delivered impactful journalism focused on social justice and accountability. Her investigation into UCL’s Report+Support system was shortlisted nationally at the SPA National Awards 2025.  

This powerful piece, produced under significant time pressure, provided a balanced and well-researched coverage of a high-profile and complex topic, helping students engage thoughtfully with an event that sparked significant discussion across the UCL community. By involving contributors from across the magazine and wider student body, and incorporating a range of perspectives, the article highlighted the vital role of student media in encouraging accountability, informed debate and inclusive dialogue on campus.

This year, Kinesis Magazine’s podcast team had 36 student contributors producing nine full-length episodes. The podcast created space for thoughtful discussions and interviews that brought complex scientific topics to life in an engaging and accessible way. From spotlighting student research in their ‘Dissertation Diaries’ series to producing highly successful street interview content, this society has demonstrated creativity, collaboration and a strong commitment to widening engagement with science communication. Their work reached audiences far beyond campus and earned national recognition through a SPANC shortlisting for Best Project/Initiative.

This society has established itself as one of the largest and most active societies at UCL, with almost 1,000 members and nearly 70 events reaching over 2,000 attendees across both terms. This year, UCL Entrepreneurs Society offered a highly diverse programme, including hackathons, panels, workshops and flagship initiatives such as the London Startup Fair 2026, which attracted almost 300 attendees and 30+ startups.  Through collaborations with major organisations and entrepreneurship societies across the UK and internationally, this society has expanded access to founders, investors and industry networks. Overall, the society has enhanced student life at UCL by making entrepreneurship accessible and engaging. 

Founded in January 2026, Ingenium has already attracted 126 active members forming 21 self-organised project teams within its first week. Created to address the lack of accessible, hands-on engineering experience at UCL, this society is open to all students regardless of department or prior experience, supported by an 18-person committee, a 10-person advisory board, two UCL academic advisers, and a partnership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Young Members Panel. The society’s inaugural projects, the Nano-Labyrinth Challenge and Water Sanitation Project, provide accessible, real-world engineering experience with portfolio value and global relevance, giving students invaluable practical experience. 

James has shown an outstanding commitment to student media, becoming The Cheese Grater’s most consistent writer with an impressive 33 published articles. His work is driven by a clear passion for public interest journalism and uncovering significant issues affecting students, for example, the treatment of a bereaved student by Student Finance. His investigative reporting has also made an impact within the Students’ Union, with his work on Union bars prompting discussions to improve student spaces. From leading weekly meetings to contributing to major projects like the Leadership Race special issue to regularly hosting ‘Grater Insight’ on RareFM, James has demonstrated exceptional leadership as The Cheese Grater’s News & Investigations Editor. 

Aadi has become one with the Societies at UCL, dedicating countless hours to both organising and actively participating in a wide range of activities. He has served on multiple committees, including common interest societies, ArtsUCL groups, and a RUMS sports club. As Treasurer of Space Society, Aadi played a key role in doubling the society’s funds, supporting an ambitious events programme that delivered over 20 events this term while growing membership and improving participation through successful grant applications. His recent election as incoming Societies Officer is a testament to his commitment to ensuring student societies have a voice at UCL, making him a highly deserving recipient of this award. 

Gaming Society has created a consistently active, welcoming and inclusive community for students across UCL this year. Through multiple weekly events catering to a wide range of interests and gaming communities, the society has ensured there are accessible opportunities for members to socialise, compete and connect throughout the year. Alongside their regular activities, the society has made a positive impact beyond campus through multiple charity streams and fundraising events, and proudly represents UCL in inter-university competitions.  

UCL Science Magazine has continued its impressive growth from a small student initiative in 2022 into a thriving multidisciplinary publication of over 140 members, producing weekly multimedia content and making science more accessible across UCL. This year marked a major milestone with the launch of its first printed edition, UCL Scientia, distributed across campus, alongside strong digital engagement with 495+ mailing list subscribers and 97K+ Instagram views in three months. The magazine has expanded both its content and impact, introducing new sections such as ‘She Shapes Science’, and building a vibrant academic community through initiatives like the STEMathon debate series.