The Student Experience Awards is an annual event where students and staff of the University come together to celebrate each other's achievements.

Winners of the 2019 VC Student Experience Awards

Winners, highly commended and runners up [PDF]

Shortlisted nominees

Shortlisted Nominees - VC Student Experience Awards 2019 [PDF]

The awards were presented at an awards ceremony at the Putteridge Bury Conference Centre on Wednesday 15 May 2019. The awards ceremony is a Garden Party style event.

2019 NOMINATIONS CLOSED

• VC Student Experience Awards Criteria - PDF 110.1 KB

• Lord Lieutenant Community Engagement Award - Criteria & Nomination Form - DOCX 107.5 KB

View photos from last years awards to get a flavour of this early summer afternoon event.

All queries to studentexperience@beds.ac.uk

Award Categories

Outstanding Teacher

Criteria 1

Clearly supports student achievement and performance.

Criteria 2

Engages and motivates others ensuring students feel they are a value member of the class.

Criteria 3

Displays exceptional knowledge and understanding of their subject.

Outstanding Professional Services Staff Member

Criteria 1

Demonstrates a student-centred approach to everything and delivers a first-class experience to students as well as staff and/or external clients.

Criteria 2

Is an excellent team member supporting others and working in partnership with other teams.

Criteria 3

Demonstrates an imaginative and innovative approach to service delivery.

Outstanding Support of Learning & Personal Development

Criteria 1

Engages with students to assist them in aspiring to achieve their academic and/or personal development objectives.

Criteria 2

Explores new methods of support which enables students to excel to their full potential.

Criteria 3

Has given an outstanding contribution to the University environment, catering for diverse student requirements.

Staff Team of the Year

Criteria 1

The team delivers a consistently excellent experience to students, staff an/or external clients.

Criteria 2

• Welcomes feedback and actively uses it to improve their effectiveness
• Embraces and champions enhancement

Criteria 3

Effectively communicates and collaborates with other teams around them.

Outstanding Student Role Model

Criteria 1

Inspired, motivated and influenced others to deliver an excellent student experience.

Criteria 2

Led by setting an excellent example and embodies the University's values in their actions.

Criteria 3

Reflected, analysed and learnt from experiences.

Student of the Year

Criteria 1

The student embodies the University's values.

Criteria 2

The student's 'story' provides a compelling demonstration of the transformational impact of a UoB education.

Criteria 3

The student demonstrates good engagement and performance within the context of their studies.

Research Impact of the Year

Criteria 1

The research has impacted on the student experience.

Criteria 2

The research has had an effective impact on the learning experience in the appropriate areas.

Criteria 3

The research has had a high impact externally.

Alumnus of the Year

Criteria 1

Effective promotion of the University and demonstration of its values within the wider community.

Criteria 2

Supporting the University with contributions to the student experience from enquirer to graduate.

Criteria 3

Acts as a clear role model to others.

Partner of the Year

Criteria 1

Partner organisation engages in effective collaboration with the University.

Criteria 2

Partner organisation supports activities to enhance the student experience.

Criteria 3

Partner organisation has enhanced the University's reputation.

Lord Lieutenant Community Engagement

Criteria 1

The range of activity for consideration for the award will be applied flexibly to ensure that recognition and value is given to originality, commitment, excellence and impact that advance the mission and values of the University.

The range of activity could include, for example:

(a) Contributing to the community through volunteering

(b) Raising the educational aspirations of individuals or groups

(c) Promoting positive relationships between the University and the community

(d) Supporting social enterprises or entrepreneurship

(e) Encouraging community activities through sports, arts and cultural activities

(f) Delivering curricular or extra-curricular activities that engage the community with the life of the University

Criteria 2

The nominee should demonstrate sustainable impact and achievement of at least two of the following:

(g) A high level of achievement in a specified volunteering or community engagement activity

(h) Dedication to supporting and making a difference to other people through commnuity engagement or volunteering

(i) Exemplifying and championing community engagement activities or volunteering

(j) Imaginative organisation or implementation of community engagement programmes or volunteering activities

(k) An innovative or creative approach to volunteering or community engagement

(l) Influencing policy and practice outside the University

Criteria 3

Nominations should relate to activity which has taken place within the last 12 months but can refer to previous achievements and track-record where relevant.

Outstanding use of Technology in Teaching

Recognition of individuals and/or teams that innovatively use technology to enrich and enhance the student learning experience. Demonstrate how they embedded technology in the learning experience with a particular focus on how they use it to:

Criteria 1

Creatively transcend traditional teacher/expert centred forms of instruction and hence empower students to shape their learning experience.

Criteria 2

Build an inclusive learning community with opportunities for enhanced interaction and collaboration with clearly articulated expectations of required levels of engagement.

Criteria 3

Creatively support students in their learning, inspiring them to aim high and hence enhance achievement and progression.

Outstanding Commitment to Employability

Criteria 1

Has promoted the University's key strategic employability agenda to students.

Criteria 2

Has had an effective impact in developing and translating the employability agenda via locally driven initiatives.

Criteria 3

Acts as a clear role model to others by "making a difference" to the future employability prospects of their students.

The Vice Chancellor's "Best of Beds" Award

Criteria 1

Actively promotes the University. Is Innovative and creative in their approach and goes above and beyond to ensure the University is seen in a positive light.

Criteria 2

Uses internal and external opportunities to showcase the University.

Criteria 3

Shows the 'Spirit of Bedfordshire' and contributes to the University's overall Student Experience.