Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching

This is an award which came into effect in academic session 2007-08.

This award aims to acknowledge and reward individuals for outstanding achievement in teaching and supporting student learning. It also aims to encourage and promote good practice, recognising the importance of teaching as a scholarly activity at the University of Dundee.

The winners of the College level Excellence in Teaching Awards are encouraged to make a submission to the University level Awards. There is no application form or criteria (apart from the single criterion that applicants must be able to demonstrate active involvement in teaching and the support of learning at the University of Dundee over a period of at least three years). Applicants should make a personal submission (maximum of 2 sides of A4) which supports their claim to excellence in teaching. Examples of the evidence which may be used to support claims are provided below.

Demonstrating Excellence

Applicants must be able to demonstrate active involvement in teaching and the support of learning at the University of Dundee over a period of at least three years.

Demonstration of excellence might include the following:

• sustained development of effective learning and teaching activities and evidence of success in these activities
• evidence of positive links between teaching and scholarship
• development and operationalisation of a personal philosophy of teaching
• engagement with staff development activities and evidence of impact on subsequent practice
• effective engagement with professional bodies which support teaching and learning (e.g. respective HE Academy subject centre)
• dissemination activities at learning & teaching related conferences/workshops
• effective engagement with one or more of the Quality Enhancement Themes and successful integration of the Theme outcomes with practice
• influence in their field/profession in relation to learning & teaching
• professional recognition for teaching (e.g. by the HE Academy)
• professional recognition though a previous internal or external award (e.g. University of Dundee Honorary Graduates' Award for Innovative Teaching or a discipline-based award)

The Award

From academic year 2010-11, one award will be made at University level. The award, to the value of £3,000, will be made to the winning submission in the form of a teaching fund which can be used to support teaching-related project work, conference attendance, etc. The winner will also receive a certificate of recognition and the title of Senate Award Fellow.

It is anticipated that award winners will contribute to a number of dissemination activities by, for example, having a DVD recording made of their teaching practice and contributing to the Pg Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education programme.

Award winners may re-apply for this award after a five year period.

Award Panel

The award will be judged by a panel comprising the Academic Professional Development Advisory Group, DUSA President and the College Heads of Learning and Teaching.

Senate Award winners for 2009-10

1. Professor Frank Sargent, College of Life Sciences
2. Angela Gilbert, Dentistry, College of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
3. Stuart Cross, Law, College of Arts & Social Sciences
4. Jonathan Baldwin, DJCAD, College of Art, Science & Engineering