James Bond star marks University of Bedfordshire's very best

Mon 16 June, 2014

A James Bond star helped add to the glitz and glamour of this year’s Vice Chancellor's Student Experience Awards, which celebrated the very best in achievement and practice across the University from students, to academics, support staff and departments.

University of Bedfordshire Honorary Doctor of Business Arts Colin Salmon, who is best known for his role in three OO7 films, was on hand to help present the awards at a fantastic evening at the Putteridge Bury campus.

Colin Salmon and Vice Chancellor Bill Rammell

Following last year’s hugely successful inaugural awards, more than 700 nominations were received by the Student Experience team between January and March.

In total, 50 people were shortlisted and the winners – and those shortlisted – for the 16 categories (designed to recognise delivering the best in student experience) can be found at the bottom of this article.

Appropriately for the Bond movie star, the dress code for Friday evening was black tie.

Colin Salmon

And Colin, who starred in 2012’s Strictly Come Dancing, opened the event by saying what a pleasure it was to be back at the University which presented him with an honorary degree.

“As both a local boy and Doctor of this University I very much feel a part of that university community,” the Doctor Who actor said.

“It’s inspiring to see so much commitment, dedication and excellence in all the University does for its student, staff and wider communities.”

Rabs Rahman-Quereshi with Liesl Conradie

The event was blessed by good weather; however once the sun had gone down for the night, and the superb Putteridge Bury cuisine had been consumed and the awards presented, those in attendance let their hair down and dancing followed.

Vice Chancellor Bill Rammell, who launched the Awards when he joined the University, said it was a wonderful night for everyone associated with the University.

He added: "These awards are about celebrating the outstanding talent we have at the University of Bedfordshire and communicating our commitment to delivering the best possible student experience. This great celebration is about recognising and rewarding those staff and students who have excelled through their work. It is also about demonstrating the real partnership we have with our students.”

Further coverage of the event, and the reaction of some of the winners (below), will be featured in the Returner’s edition of Life magazine.

Follow @uobnews and search #vcsea14 on Twitter.

See all the photos taken on the night here

1. Inspirational Teaching Award (Creative Arts, Technologies and Sciences)

Harpist playing

Nominees: Lesley McKenna, Bushra Ahmed, Herbert Daly

Winner: Herbert Daly

2. Inspirational Teaching Award (Education and Sport)

Nominees: James Shea, Lisa Gallimore, Kay Brown

Winner: Kay Brown

3. Inspirational Teaching Award (Business School)

Nominees: Tricia Smart, Neville Hunt, Simon Reilly

Winner: Simon Reilly

4. Inspirational Teaching Award (Health and Social Sciences)

Nominees: Chris Hand, Hala Evans, Alex De Mont, Melsina Makaza

Winner: Chris Hand

5. Inspirational Staff Member

Nominees: Breda O’Kane, Sharon Mansfield, Angharad Phillips

Winner: Breda O’Kane

6. Research Impact of the Year

Nominees: CRELLA – Centre for research in English language, learning and assessment , Professor Jenny Pearce, Professor Gurch Randhawa

Winner: Gurch Randhawa

7. Outstanding Community Contribution Award

Nominees: Alexa Rosen, Sabath Shazia

Winner: Sabath Shazia

8. Staff Team of the Year Award

Nominees: Department of Life Sciences technical team, PAL Team (peer assisted learning), Beds student union – Communications and marketing team

Winner: PAL Team (peer assisted learning)

9. Outstanding Role Model for Students Award

Nominees: Josh Habimana, Shamim Warwick, Christina Keugel

Winner: Josh Habimana

10. Partner of the Year Award

Nominees: London Luton Airport, University of Foreign studies, Milton Keynes city council

Winner: London Luton Airport

11. Alumnus of the Year Award

Nominees: Greg Dorban, John Daffern, Lee Robinson

Winner: Greg Dorban

12. Student of the Year Award

Nominees: Jordan Lewis, Danielle Keinzley, Marcel Feller

Winner: Jordan Lewis

13. Tell Us Award

Nominees: Reception Services, (LRC) Learning resources centre, Postgraduate Centre

Winner: (LRC) Learning resources centre

14. National Student Survey (NSS) Course of the Year Award

Nominees: HSS (Health and Social Sciences), BA Hons Health and Social, E&S (Education and Sport), English language studies, Business School, LLB, CATS, (Creative Arts, Technologies and Sciences), Art and Design

Winner: Business School, LLB

15. Student Personal Development Award

Nominees: Sebastian Bosslet, Ashwin Kumar, Cameron Hiscock

Winner: Sebastian Bosslet

16. Vice Chancellor's Outstanding Student Experience Award

Winner: PAL Team (peer assisted learning)