Campus played host to a special celebration this week recognising excellent practice in delivering high-quality teaching and learning at Leeds.
The gala event on 10 September showcased the achievements of colleagues who received highly coveted accolades during the past 12 months, including winners of the University of Leeds Teaching Awards 2024 .
Teaching Awards recipients, who each received grants as part of their awards, were presented with certificates of recognition during the ceremony by Professor Jeff Grabill, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Education.
He said: “It has been a privilege to be part of this year’s celebration, which provides us with the chance to honour the remarkable achievements of exceptional educators and inspiring individuals.
“Today, we’ve heard about their extraordinary dedication to students and to their colleagues, their passion and expertise, and the profound inspiration they bring to their teaching. We heard in their stories and saw in their applications the powerful ways they’ve shaped the learning experience here at Leeds and the direct ways they’ve prepared our students to make a meaningful impact in the world.
“Thank you for continually pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, for empowering our students to become their best selves, and for your collaborations with your colleagues.”
Now in their fourth year, the awards continue to grow, with submissions almost doubling compared to 2023.
Applications were received from across the University, showcasing a wide range of impressive contributions. The judging panel continues to be incredibly impressed by the level of applications and the impact demonstrated by colleagues. This high standard is reflected in the national recognition many of our winners have gone on to achieve for their teaching.
In total, 12 University of Leeds Teaching Awards were presented this year, celebrating both early-career and sustained excellence, while also recognising individual and collaborative contributions.
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A full list of winners appears below, and you can find out more by exploring their profiles on the Organisational Development and Professional Learning (OD&PL) Student Education Development website.
Early Career Excellence Winners
Dr Jo Brown – School of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Environment
Dr Arjun Khara – School of Design, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures
Dr Manoj Ravi – School of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Early-Stage Collaborative Excellence Winners
Dr Joanna Brown, Buena Galleposo, Professor Charlotte Haigh, Maedeh Hassani, Eleanor Jones-Ford, Iria Lopez, Thu Thu Naing and Stuart Porteous – Digital Education Service/School of Biomedical Sciences, Professional Services/Faculty of Biological Sciences
Johanna Loock, Ayse Rumeysa Kotan, Dr Hizer Mir and Professor Salman Sayyid – School of Sociology and Social Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences
Sustained Excellence Winners
Dr Catherine Bates – Lifelong Learning Centre, Professional Services
Dr Sofia Martinho – School of Languages, Cultures and Societies, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures
Rachael O’Connor – School of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences
Dr Martin Ward – School of Languages, Cultures and Societies, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures
Sustained Collaborative Excellence Winners
Dr Aline Gaus, Alison Murfin, Dr Helen Morley and Dr Rachel Haworth – Organisational Development and Professional Learning (OD&PL), Professional Services
Tony Morgan, Dr Lena Jaspersen and Dr Sanaz Sigaroudi – Management and Organisations Department, Leeds University Business School
Dr Chris Randall, Dr Dimitra Mitsa, Professor Aysha Divan, Dr Sian Estdale, Dr Michelle Scott and Andy Gibbs – School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences
National recognition
The event also honoured recent graduates from the University’s Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) programme, as well as colleagues who’ve achieved fellowship status with Advance HE. Among them was Professor Anne Tallontire , who received a Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) in 2024.
Colleagues recognised with two major national awards this year also shared their experiences and reflections on their Advance HE honours. Dr Pam Birtill (above), a National Teaching Fellowship (NTF) recipient, spoke about her experience of winning, as did members of the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Network (TALENT), pictured below, who received a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE).
Winners of both the NTF and CATE awards received a University of Leeds Teaching Award in 2023, demonstrating how these accolades provide a platform for colleagues to progress towards achieving national recognition.
Applications for the 2025 University of Leeds Teaching Awards will open in the new year. Updates will appear on the awards webpage and shared via eNews.
