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Educational Development

Student Voice Awards

The Harper Adams University Student Voice Awards were established to recognise staff who make an outstanding contribution to students’ experiences.

Students can nominate staff who have made a difference in their academic life or in their wider day-to-day experience. Nominations should be as detailed as possible, as the panel will select winners on the basis of this information. The different award titles have been selected in partnership with the Students’ Union.

Nominations highlight so many excellent individuals and practices. In addition to making the awards, the scheme can pass on your comments to the nominated staff member so that they receive recognition and appreciation. When making a submission consider ticking the consent box so that your words can be passed to the nominee.

Closing date for nominations: 12 noon Friday 19 May 2023

Award: Making a difference to wider student life

Nominations should show how the staff member has supported the wider student experience in some or all of the following ways:

  • Providing stand-out support of any type that makes a difference to the student experience at Harper Adams;
  • Showing extraordinary care and consideration towards the needs, well-being and feelings of students, beyond that which would usually be expected;
  • Being especially helpful to students when settling in to university life;
  • Providing valuable opportunities for students beyond those in the formal curriculum;
  • Working to ensure a diverse and respectful university community;
  • Other means not listed here but clearly specified within the nominations.

Number of awards: Two

Who can nominate: Students

Make a nomination

Award: Student Voice Champion

Nominations should show how the staff member has encouraged the student voice, and how they value student feedback, in any or all of the following ways:

  • Encouraging honest feedback on teaching, learning opportunities or the wider student experience, from students through appropriate methods;
  • Seeking feedback so that all student voices are valued and recognised;
  • Acting on student feedback to make changes to teaching or the wider student experience;
  • Communicating the ways in which the student voice is making a difference to practices, decisions or plans so that students are clear of how their voices are making a difference;
  • Making students feel like their insights and feedback are genuinely valued and used.

Number of awards: One

Who can nominate: Students

Make a nomination

Award: Innovative teacher of the year

Nominations should indicate how the member of staff has innovated to support students in learning, in any or all of the following ways:

  • Trying new or unusual methods of teaching or providing support for learning, with the deliberate intention of making a difference to student learning or the wider student experience.
  • Drawing on current research around teaching to improve and develop opportunities for learning.
  • Involving students in developing effective ways of teaching and supporting learning.
  • Using technology to enhance teaching in ways that are effective for students.
  • Continually trying to improve and develop their own teaching practice through new ideas.

Number of awards: One

Who can nominate: Students

Make a nomination

Award: Assessment and feedback hero

Nominations should indicate how the member of staff has shown excellence in supporting students in assessment and through their feedback, in any or all of the following ways:

  • Devising and supporting assessments which are valuable, enjoyable and relevant;
  • Supporting the assessment process in a way which is especially effective for students;
  • Providing feedback, of any type, that makes a significant difference to learning;
  • Going beyond the reasonable call of duty to provide feedback which is exemplary;
  • Using innovative approaches, technologies or techniques in assessment and/or feedback.

Number of awards: One

Who can nominate: Students

Make a nomination

Award: Excellent Teaching

Nominations should show how the staff member has demonstrated excellent teaching, this may be through some or all of the following ways:

  • Inspiring interest and achievement;
  • Providing outstanding resources in class and/or online;
  • Supporting students to exceed their own expectations;
  • Using research and/or experience to make learning relevant;
  • Supporting learners as individuals, recognising different needs;
  • Other means not listed here but clearly specified within the nomination.

Number of awards: Two

Who can nominate: Students

Make a nomination

Award: Educational Champion of the year

Nominations should indicate how the student has represented others effectively, in any or all of the following ways:

  • Making sure that different views are represented and fed in to university decision making;
  • Building the case for change and improvement in relation to specific issues of concern;
  • Communicating effectively with the student body to identify changes, and the progress of any areas under discussion and development;
  • Making a difference to the student experience through a personal commitment to representing the student voice effectively.

Number of awards: Two

Who can nominate: Students and Staff

Make a nomination

Award: Colleague Award

This award recognises an individual, from any department, working in any role, who has made a substantial contribution that makes the university a better place to work.

The staff nominator should indicate how the nominee has made a difference to them or to others by acting as a role model to others.

Number of awards: One

Who can nominate: Staff

Make a nomination

Make a nomination

Terms and Conditions

  1. Awards will only be made if evidence of excellence and ‘going the extra mile’ is established.
  2. The evaluation panel may verify excellence claims by reference to other available evidence sources, including but not exclusively with a line manager discussion.
  3. The nominator must not advise the nominee that they are submitting the nomination.
  4. Staff or Student Representatives must not, under any circumstances, canvass support from students for themselves or on behalf of others. Any applications which are associated with canvassing will be excluded from the selection process.
  5. Awards of any type cannot be made to individuals who were recognised in the previous year; nominations are nevertheless welcome as a way of providing feedback.
  6. Any individual can make more than one nomination.
  7. Submissions will be evaluated against the criteria listed. The evaluation panel will comprise of the Director of Education and the Head of Quality and Standards, and along with four representatives of the student body (coordinated by the Students' Union).
  8. Awardees will be invited to an event to receive their prize which will be a trophy, certificate and/or gift delivered from the Students' Union.
  9. Nominations should be made by going to the 'Make a nomination' tab.
  10. The deadline for submissions is noon on Friday 19 May 2023.

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