You can nominate someone for the following categories in the HISA Awards!
Check your UHI email for your unique nominations form link.
Most Inspiring Lecturer
This award recognises lecturers who inspire students to achieve as much as they can through their approach to teaching and delivery of subject content and their engagement with students. This could be a lecturer who teaches face to face or online.
You may be inspired by a lecturer’s enthusiasm, knowledge and their genuine passion for their subject area; you may appreciate how approachable, friendly and helpful they are; feel your input is always valued and respected; enjoy interesting, thought-provoking lectures/tutorials which use new and varied teaching methods enriching your learning experience; your learning experience is fun!
Most Engaging Online Delivery
This award recognises lecturers delivering learning online, those who engage, motivate and inspire students through their exceptional use of the UHI virtual learning environment (VLE) or learning technologies.
You may feel your lecturer deserves the title of most engaging online delivery as they have kept you motivated and engaged through their use of technologies; your lecturer may have made you feel like you are part of a learning community and not on your own; they may communicate with you regularly and always respond promptly to questions etc. their teaching methods bring the subject alive and leave you wanting to know more!
Best Assessment Feedback
This award recognises lecturers who excel in the provision of assessment feedback to students and recognise its central importance in student learning.
You may feel your lecturer excels in providing feedback as they always provide feedback that is detailed, easy to understand and shows clearly how you can make improvements; the feedback is individualised recognising and supporting your particular needs and always constructive.
Best Personal Academic or Learning Support
This award recognises those staff in specific roles who excel in the provision of support and guidance to students, particularly on an individual basis, through specific roles such as Personal Academic Tutor (PAT), Learning Development Worker (LDW in Moray), Personal Development Advisor (PDA in Inverness), also sometimes known as Studies Adviser.
Your learning experience may have been enhanced by a staff member who has taken the time to get to know you; keeps in touch; is available, approachable and responds quickly to your enquires; is supportive and understanding and able to direct you to resources/sources of help; has enabled you to continue with your studies. This is separate from lecturing and professional staff.
Best Research or Dissertation Supervisor
This award recognises supervisors who show exceptional commitment and ability to help students undertake a piece of self-directed research.
You may feel that your supervisor’s academic expertise, knowledge and insight, as well as patience and understanding was crucial in enabling you to conduct and complete your research; you may have benefitted from the regular meetings your supervisor arranged; and felt you were challenged constructively aiding you to develop your critical thinking skills.
Best Professional Services or Support Staff
This award recognises that there are a whole range of staff that have an impact on your student experience, not just teaching staff. For example: Student Support/Services; Librarians; UHI IT Helpdesk; Finance Office; Learning Centre receptionists; Estates and Cleaners – anyone that doesn’t have a teaching or academic/learning role – who is your ‘hidden hero’?
You may feel there is a non-academic/teaching staff member who you want to pay tribute to as they have enhanced your student experience; perhaps they have always provided you with great service and gone out of their way to help you; they may have taken the time to get to know your name and build a working relationship with you; or perhaps their advice/guidance/support has made a real difference to you as student.
Most Inspiring Student – The Students’ Choice
This award recognises inspirational practice by a UHI student and recognises a student who has visibly gone ‘above and beyond’ in an inspiring way to support and enable fellow students.
This is the students’ choice so we want to know how another student has inspired you. This may be through difficulties they have overcome to achieve their goals; positive change they have brought about through campaigning/representing the student voice; their academic achievements; their sporting excellence; their commitment and hard work in voluntary work/supporting charities; or they have gone above and beyond to engage students through their organising of events/activities or enabled another student to engage in their studies; by helping their peers overcome difficulties; positive change they have brought to others learning; their success in engaging students in group work – do you have a class hero?
Best Student Club or Society
This award recognises the outstanding achievements of a HISA club or society during the academic year.
Achievements could include building and/or sustaining a club or society; increase in membership and student engagement at local academic partner level or UHI regional level; enhancement of the Club’s (and HISA and UHI) reputation locally, regionally or nationally; fundraising efforts and charity work; hosting activities for non-members; contributing to the community, environment, liberation campaigns, or other service projects; providing outstanding support to members, etc.
Above and Beyond - Staff Award
This award recognises a member of staff who has visibly gone ‘above and beyond’ in an inspiring way to support and enable students to engage in learning, no matter what their role.
We want to know how a staff member has enabled you to engage in your studies. This may be through their support to your learning; by helping you personally overcome any difficulties; positive change they have brought to your learning through listening to the student voice; their investment in your academic achievements; their commitment and hard work to supporting their students; their success in engaging students in coursework.