A new £1,000 Teaching Award is being introduced at Lancaster University in partnership with LUSU.
The annual Teaching Award allows students, who feel particularly inspired by a tutor or lecturer, to nominate them for a £1,000 award. Students have previously lacked the opportunity to publicly express gratitude or acknowledge their teachers’ efforts on a campus-wide scale. The Teaching Award is recognition from the university, of staff members’ teaching excellence.
Pro Vice Chancellor (Colleges and Student Experience), Professor Amanda Chetwynd, said: “There’s strong emphasis on good teaching at Lancaster and this is the first opportunity for students to nominate teachers who have inspired them.”
The Teaching Award aims to benefit both teachers and students at Lancaster University. LUSU Vice President (Academic), Robin Hughes, explained “the benefit for students is that this is finally an award for staff which they have ownership and input into; the benefit for lecturers is first and foremost the recognition from their students – something which is very valued”. The Award has also been designed to encourage best practice, ensuring that students receive the best from their teachers.
Nominations can be made throughout the Lent term by filling out a nomination form which can be obtained from the Learning Zone, the Students’ Union or the Students’ Union’s website , and must be submitted at the front desk in the Students’ Union building. Students must describe the impact the nominee has had on their learning and provide evidence of how this has been achieved. Nominations will then be considered by a panel inclusive of students, academics, and representatives from LUSU and the prize will be awarded at a celebration ceremony in June.
Hughes added: “I hope this builds year on year to be really popular and we see large swathes of nominations. The response from students has certainly been one of being excited to be able to formally recognize individuals that have been important to their time at Lancaster. So much so for me that after setting this up, I felt the need to email some of the teachers I’ve been lucky enough to have in my time here; I hope that lots of students will feel the same way.”
