Two more national teaching fellowship awards for Leicester

Our University provides excellent teaching – this has been recognised again by two more awards by the Higher Education Academy, bringing our total number of National Teaching Fellows (NTF) to 16.

This year two of our academics from the College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities are to receive the prestigious national awards:

  • Professor Chris Wilkins, Professor of Education, School of Education
  • Dr Sarah Scott, Associate Professor in Archaeology and Ancient History, School of Archaeology and Ancient History

A National Teaching Fellowship is the most prestigious individual award for excellence in teaching in higher education.

Professor Wilkins said: “I am delighted and humbled by this award, which is a testament to the rich and vibrant learning environment created by the many outstanding teachers and scholars in the School of Education, the wider university, and our partner schools.  I look forward to building on my achievements in promoting the role of research in developing teaching excellence.”

Dr Scott said: “It is a great honour to have been nominated and selected for this award. I really enjoy working on projects which promote student-staff enterprise and volunteering. Students have played a key role in the development and coordination of these initiatives and I have been hugely inspired by their commitment and enthusiasm. I look forward to working with them in the future to ensure that our research continues to benefit the widest possible audience through student-staff partnership and enterprise.”

Professor Jon Scott, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience at the University of Leicester said: “We are delighted that Sarah and Chris have been recognised at the highest national level for the excellence of their contributions to student learning. This continues a very strong record of success in the National Teaching Fellowships which is an ongoing testament to the excellent teaching provision at the University.”

The Higher Education Academy also announced the finalists for a new team award for teaching in higher education, the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) – including a team from Leicester.

The new CATE award, being piloted this year, recognises teaching excellence by teams at higher education providers. 

The Leicester finalist for the team Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence is the Centre for Interdisciplinary Science whose founder, Professor Derek Raine, has previously won an NTF award.  More information here.