The university was seen as a foured institution of the Labour government during the New Labour years from 1997 to 2010.[18][19] It was academic partner for a number of flagship Government schemes including the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth and the NHS University which is now defunct. Tony Blair described Warwick as "a beacon among British universities for its dynamism, quality and entrepreneurial zeal".[18] In a 2012 study by Virgin Media Business, Warwick was described as the most "digitally-svy" UK university.[20]
Ian Denport's Everything (2004) in the Warwick Mathematics Institute[21]In February 2001, IBM donated a new S/390 computer and software worth £2 million to Warwick, to form part of a "Grid" enabling users to remotely share computing power.[22] In April 2004 Warwick merged with the Wellesbourne and Kirton sites of Horticulture Research International.[23] In July 2004 Warwick was the location for an important agreement between the Labour Party and the trade unions on Labour policy and trade union law, which has subsequently become known as the "Warwick Agreement".[24]
In June 2006, the new University Hospital Coventry opened, including a 102,000 sq ft (9,500 m2) university clinical sciences building.[25] Warwick Medical School was granted independent degree-awarding status in 2007, and the School's partnership with the University of Leicester was dissolved in the same year.[26][27] In February 2010, Lord Bhattacharyya, director and founder of the WMG unit at Warwick, made a £1 million donation to the university to support science grants and awards.[28][29]
In February 2012, Warwick and Melbourne-based Monash University announced the formation of a strategic partnership, including the creation of ten joint senior academic posts, new dual master's and joint doctoral degrees, and co-ordination of research programmes.[30] In March 2012, Warwick and Queen Mary, University of London announced the creation of a strategic partnership, including research collaboration, some joint teaching of English, history and computer science undergraduates, and the creation of eight joint post-doctoral research fellowships.[31][32]
Warwick Arts Centre (c. 2012), with White Koan (1971) by Liliane Lijn in the foregroundIn April 2012, it was announced that Warwick would be the only European university participating in the Center for Urban Science and Progress, an applied science research institute to be based in New York consisting of an international consortium of universities and technology companies led by New York University and NYU-Poly.[33] In August 2012, Warwick and five other Midlands-based universities—Aston University, the University of Birmingham, the University of Leicester, Loughborough University and the University of Nottingham—formed the M5 Group, a regional bloc intended to maximise the member institutions' research income and enable closer collaboration.[34]
Warwick Logo before introduction of the current logo in 2015In September 2013, it was announced that a new National Automotive Innovation Centre would be built by WMG at Warwick's main campus at a cost of £100 million, with £50 million to be contributed by Jaguar Land Rover and £30 million by Tata Motors.[35][36] The centre will open in Summer 2018.[37] The building was opened by HRH The Prince of Wales on 18 February 2020.[38][39]
In July 2014, the government announced that Warwick would be the host for the £1 billion Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), a non-profit organization that facilitates funding to UK-based research and development projects developing low-carbon emission powertrain technologies.[40] The APC manages a £1 billion investment fund, which is jointly supplied by the automotive industry – via the Automotive Council – and the UK government through the Department for Business and Trade and managed by Innovate UK.
In September 2015, Warwick celebrated its 50th anniversary and was designated "University of the Year" by The Times and The Sunday Times.[41] In December 2017, the university announced it would not continue with a project to open a Campus in Roseville, California.[42] The university had spent £1.2 million on the project.[43]
In 2023, the students' union voted for all the union-run catering to offer all plant-based meals. The vote was supported in order to reduce climate change emissions. According to plan, by the following academic year, the menus would be 50% vegan and then would be fully plant-based by 2027. It was the eighth student union at a U.K. university to adopt plant-based catering.[44] Only 4,5% or 1,472 students out of 28,621 voted in ballot, among whom 772 voted in four of plan. In 2024 this decision was revoked by students' union trustees due to "practical and financial challenges involved with such a significant transition".[45][46]