The Education Awards 2025

Overview

The Education Awards recognise and celebrate excellent practice in learning and teaching. The awards are run by Elevate.

Nominations will open on Monday 27 January.

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Award Categories

Nominations for awards can be made by staff or students.

Staff Awards

Teaching Practice (six awards: five Faculty Awards and one overall winner)

Staff whose approach to teaching, assessment and feedback has had a significant impact on inspiring student learning.

This could include (but isn’t limited to)

• using creative activities to engage students in learning
• creating inclusive learning environments and establishing effective learning communities
• integrating research to develop inspiring and innovative teaching
• designing innovative assessments and adopting effective approaches to student feedback
• providing authentic opportunities for students to develop the Sheffield Graduate Attributes

There will be a total of 6 awards for teaching practice.  This will consist of five Faculty specific awards and one overall award.  The overall award will be selected from the winners of the Faculty awards.

Leadership in Education

Staff who have worked effectively with others to influence and bring about change in education. The leadership demonstrated in this award can be of a formal or informal nature.

This could include (but isn’t limited to)

• leadership of a school, faculty, University working group through a period of significant change

• leadership around a particular aspect of learning and teaching such as employability, assessment, inclusion, digital learning

Academic Tutoring

Staff who provide ongoing academic support that has had a significant impact on students being able to engage with their learning and their academic development.

This could include (but isn’t limited to)

• developing positive and effective relationships with tutees 

• supporting tutees to build an inclusive community within their tutor groups and programmes

• providing individualised guidance to tutees to support their academic progress

• providing effective signposting to additional support where needed

• supporting student transitions into and throughout the programme

Supporting Education

Staff who do not have a direct teaching role but whose support has had a significant impact on students being able to get the most from their programme of study.

This could include (but isn’t limited to)

• supporting students with administrative, technical and digital tasks relating to their studies

• managing the administrative, technical and digital aspects of education  

• supporting  opportunities for students to develop the Sheffield Graduate Attributes

• providing training and support to students or staff around skills not directly linked to subject content

• helping to create inclusive learning environments and establish effective learning communities

• supporting the well-being and mental health of students

Student Choice Award (New for 2024-25!)

This award is only open for nominations made by students and the winner will be chosen by a panel of student representatives.

The award is an opportunity for students to recognise the staff members who have had a significant impact on your educational experience throughout the year. 

This could include but is not limited to:

• helping create a sense of belonging and an inclusive student community

• empowering students to speak up and have a positive impact on their course

• creating or leading a module that changed your perception of education or your degree

• supporting you in your education in a way that enabled you to succeed 

Student Award

Student Contribution to Education

Students who have made a significant contribution to the education of their peers.

This could include (but isn’t limited to)

• working to bring about change to the student academic experience

• providing support for their peers with their learning

• acting as mentors for other students to support development in learning and teaching acting as a champion for student issues in the school

• effective liaison between students, the school and the Students’ Union

How will nominations be judged?

To select the overall winner for each category, the awards panel will focus on:

• The extent to which the nominated practice is relevant to the award category

• The extent to which the nominee demonstrates pedagogical excellence in their practice

• The extent of impact that the nominee has had on student learning and education within the criteria for the award category. This impact could be direct (immediate impact on student learning) or indirect (supporting others or developing systems to have an impact on student on learning). It could also be wide (impact on a whole cohort) or more personal (impact on an individual student or small group of students)

• The extent to which the practice described in the nomination could be considered best practice and would be beneficial for others in similar positions to learn from

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Sharing good practice

Colleagues whose good practice was highlighted through the nomination process will be invited to share their work through Elevate. Depending on the nomination, this could include written case studies, blog posts, and showcase or networking events.

Find out more about how Elevate shares good practice (Staff hub login required)