Accounting expert wins national teaching award
Catriona Hyde receives her award from James Patrick, director of learning and commercial at ACCA.
An expert in accounting and finance from the University of Leicester has been recognised with a national teaching award.
Associate Professor in Accounting and Finance, Catriona Hyde, has been named PQ Magazine’s Public Sector Lecturer of the Year 2026.
The award recognises outstanding excellence in accounting education and celebrates lecturers who deliver innovative, engaging and professionally relevant teaching.
Catriona was recognised for transforming audit and assurance into an accessible and engaging subject through clear explanations, storytelling and real-world application.
Her inclusive teaching style, commitment to knowing students individually, and generous academic support have been highlighted as central to building student confidence and a strong sense of belonging.
The award also reflects her innovative teaching approaches, including interactive ethics-based activities and sustainability focused learning, which help students engage with complex professional issues in a practical and enjoyable way.
The award judges found Catriona’s students particularly valued the use of authentic assessments, including analysing real companies to produce professional audit risk memoranda aligned with current auditing standards, supporting strong preparation for professional practice.
Catriona, who works in the School of Business, said: “It is incredibly meaningful to receive this recognition. My aim is always to make learning challenging but supportive, relevant to practice, and genuinely enjoyable.”