Staff and students from across the University community celebrated at the University of Bath and The SU Bath joint Education Awards Evening held on Friday 5th April at the Apex Hotel, Bath. The Education Awards, now in their third year, are an opportunity to recognise and reward the outstanding contribution that students and staff make towards enhancing the education experience at the University of Bath. The partnership event has joined together the Academic Representative awards, University Teaching Awards and last year introduced additional awards awarded by The SU to recognise the work of personal tutors, support staff and postgraduate students who teach.
The SU were inundated with nominations from students and staff for the awards. Academic Representatives were nominated for their commitment towards representing the student voice, a range of awards were presented on the night culminating in the Academic Representatives of the Year. Being an elected Academic Representative allows students to work with their course, department or Faculty/the School to resolve issues raised by their peers and work together with The SU to share good practice and develop larger scale institutional changes. The SU also presented the Support Staff of the Year award, the Personal Tutor of the Year award, Outstanding Staff Contributions to Peer Mentoring and Peer Assisted Learning and the Postgraduate Teacher of the Year Award.
Jack Kitchen, The SU Bath Education Officer said, “We had a fantastic evening celebrating the achievements of both students and staff at the 2019 Education Awards. With over 200 nominations for The SU’s awards alone, it was incredibly difficult selecting our winners, and for the first time we shortlisted for our awards. The evening offered an opportunity to reflect on the partnership between staff and student representatives, and I’m personally very proud of all that we have done as a community.”
Jasmin Eveleigh, from the Department for Health, winner of the undergraduate Academic Representative of the Year, said, “I am really grateful to win this award, I’ve worked hard to support the cohort this year and I feel that I am bringing this award back for everyone who worked hard to make changes this year.”
Alessio Santamaria, from the Department of Computer Science, was the winner of the Postgraduate Teacher of the Year Award for a second year running. Alessio said, “I am thankful for this award, I am very touched. It’s a pleasure to take care of my students, it has been a great honour.”
A full list of winners of the Academic Representation awards and awards presented to staff by The SU are celebrated on The SU website.
This year, we received a record number of highly competitive nominations for seven University Teaching Awards, which includes a brand new award that recognises the excellent work carried out by the University’s Directors of Studies. The awards celebrate individuals and teams who make an exceptional contribution and commitment to learning and teaching excellence at the University, from leadership and innovation, to research-engaged teaching and pastoral support.
Winners were presented with an award plaque by Professor Peter Lambert, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching).
Professor Peter Lambert said, “The Education Awards evening was an opportunity for us to celebrate the inspiring efforts of our colleagues across the University to support students. This year, the quality of the nominations this year was particularly outstanding and I would like to congratulate and thank the winners and the nominees for their dedication, creativity and hard work.”
Dr Oliver Walton, Department of Social and Policy Sciences, joint winner of the Mary Tasker Award, said: "I feel very lucky to work in a university and a department that provides so much support and encouragement to develop innovative approaches to teaching." Fellow winner and department colleague Dr John Troyer added: "I was deeply moved to be nominated."
Dr Fabio Nemetz, Department of Computer Science, was joint winner of the inaugural Director of Studies Award. Fabio said, "It was a huge honour to be nominated and to be recognised as one of the winners of the inaugural Director of Studies Award. I thank all my students for the privilege of being their Director of Studies and the partnership we established in Computer Science".
Dr Steve Cazyer, Department of Mechanical Engineering, winner of the Innovation in Learning and Teaching Award said: “I am honoured to receive this award. It’s a privilege to work in an institution which promotes and encourages Innovation in Learning and Teaching."
Dr Javier Gonzalez, Department for Health, winner of the John Willis Award, said: “I am honoured to receive the John Willis Award 2019. This is essentially on behalf of my colleagues as both teaching and research are team activities and I very much value to support of academics and postgraduate students from the Department for Health.”
Professor Jean van den Elsen, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, winner of the Excellence in Doctoral Supervision Prize 2019, said: "I'm extremely grateful to my doctoral students past and present for their appreciation of my supervision and I'm absolutely delighted with this award!"
Our 2019 University Teaching Award winners are celebrated on the CLT blog
Photo credits: Jack Harris