Nominations for the second annual Education Awards are now open to staff and students, and you can make your nominations here.

The awards, which were launched last year, are an opportunity for staff and students to recognise members of staff – both academics and those in professional services – who truly embody the spirit and values of the University.

More than 300 nominations were submitted by staff and students for the awards in 2019. The winners in each category were announced at a ceremony held in the Attenborough Centre for the Creative arts and hosted by Sussex alumnus and BBC journalist Clive Myrie. View the video from the night.

Kelly Coate, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students, is sponsor of the awards. She said: “I’m delighted that we are holding the Education Awards for the second year running, following a successful launch last year.

“These awards are an opportunity for us to recognise those outstanding members of staff who make Sussex the fantastic place it is.

“As part of our Learn to Transform strategy, these awards celebrate staff who uphold the values that this University established at its founding and those that guide our future direction.”

The awards

There are five awards, four of which are open to all staff and one that is solely for staff with a teaching role (Teaching to Disrupt Award).

Teaching to Disrupt Award: An award that recognises teaching staff who dare to be different in their approach, challenging current pedagogical practice and theory. Holders of this award are surprising, innovative and pioneering. They inspire their students’ critical or entrepreneurial imagination. 

Transformative Technology Award: This award will recognise staff who use technology in interesting and innovative ways in their work to enhance student learning, facilitate knowledge creation and aid educational administration. This could include using or developing leading-edge technologies, or using familiar technologies in an innovative or exciting way.

The Better World Award: This recognises staff who are actively engaged in efforts to make a positive impact in the local community and wider world in creative and entrepreneurial ways. In particular, this award seeks to recognise where community engagement has been built into the curriculum.

Learning Together Award: This award celebrates collaborations between staff and students and seeks to recognise those who embed meaningful participation in their approach to teaching and/or supporting the student experience. This could be through collaborative research projects or re-designing the curriculum, and may be demonstrated at a module-level or a wider interdisciplinary-level across the University. To be eligible for this award the nominees must be a team comprised of staff and students.

Sussex Spirit Award: An award that encompasses the five core values of kindness, integrity, inclusion, collaboration and courage, within the context of teaching and learning at Sussex. Winners of this award will demonstrably put into practice at least one of these core values.

The nominations process

Nominations are now open. Staff and students can submit their choices through a short online form, either on the staff pages or the Student Hub.

The form will ask the person completing the nomination to select the category in which their chosen individual or group should be considered followed by a short explanation (of up to 300 words) as to why they should receive this award.

Nominations will close on the extended deadline on Tuesday 3 March at 5pm. A judging panel, convened by Kelly Coate and made up of staff and students, will decide the winners in each award category.

All nominated staff will be invited to attend an awards ceremony on 21 April, where the winners for each award will be announced. The awards have been brought forward to take place earlier in the academic year to give more staff and students the opportunity to attend.

Information on the awards and the nomination form for staff can be found on the Education Awards webpage.