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ALTC Awards for Teaching Excellence and
the Prime Minister's Award

Further Information

Important: EOIs for 2011 are due 31 January 2011
Contact altc-admin@une.edu.au for details.

The Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) confers up to 24 Awards for Teaching Excellence. These awards celebrate a group of the nation's most outstanding university teachers in their fields. The awards give recognition to teachers (individuals and teams) renowned for the excellence of their teaching, who have outstanding presentation skills and who have made a broad and deep contribution to enhancing the quality of learning and teaching in higher education.

The winners of Awards for Teaching Excellence each receive $AU25,000.

The Prime Minister's Award for Australian University Teacher of the Year is the premier university teaching award. The recipient is selected from those who receive an Award for Teaching Excellence. This award is given to an academic with an exceptional record of advancing student learning, educational leadership and scholarly contribution to teaching and learning. The winner receives $50,000.

Categories

There are eight categories of Teaching Awards: five discipline categories, the Neville Bonner Award for Indigenous Education, an early career category and an annual priority area. The eight Teaching Award categories are:

  1. Biological Sciences, Health and Related Studies (including Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Medicine, Nursing, etc.);
  2. Early Career;
  3. Humanities and the Arts;
  4. Law, Economics, Business and Related Studies;
  5. Neville Bonner Award/s for Indigenous Education;
  6. Physical Sciences and Related Studies (including Architecture, Building and Planning, Engineering, Computing and Information Science);
  7. Social Sciences (including Education); and
  8. The Priority Area for 2011 is teaching large classes. Teaching large classes should be interpreted to involve successful approaches to teaching units

Eligibility

Nomination is open to all people with teaching or teaching/research appointments (full-time or fractional; continuing or contract) in eligible institutions. Each eligible institution may nominate up to eight individuals or teams for Awards for Teaching Excellence each year. Nominations from a single institution may include more than one nomination per category.

Both individual and team nominations are encouraged. Teams may be of any size. However, nominations may name no more than five members. A team name is strongly recommended for teams with more than five members.

All nominations must relate to teaching activities in higher education.

The Indigenous Education category is open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous academic staff. Nominees must demonstrate their contribution to Indigenous education.

The Early Career category is open to staff with no more than seven years experience teaching in a higher education setting. (This should be interpreted as seven consecutive calendar years and includes all tutoring, part-time teaching, and teaching at other higher education institutions.)

Previously unsuccessful nominees (CAAUT and AAUT) are eligible for renomination.

Awards for Teaching Excellence and Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning are distinct award types. Nomination for, or receipt of, a Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning does not affect eligibility for nomination for an Award for Teaching Excellence. However, recipients of an Award for Teaching Excellence (CAAUT or AAUT) are not eligible to apply for a Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.

Guidelines

The Guidelines page provides the information applicants need to apply for an award.

Selection criteria

All nominees for Awards for Teaching Excellence will be assessed on evidence they provide in relation to the following five criteria.

  • Approaches to teaching that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
  • Development of curricula and resources that reflect a command of the field
  • Approaches to assessment and feedback that foster independent learning
  • Respect and support for the development of students as individuals
  • Scholarly activities that have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching

      • Each criteria is given equal consideration.

    UNE processes, support and timelines

    Processes

    Potential applicants need to submit an EOI to altc-admin@une.edu.au by 31 January. The EOIs are considered by the UNE ALTC Grants and Awards Committee. Applicants with successful EOIs will be supported further to develop their full application.

    Support

    To ensure your EOI presents the strongest case possible, a short series of workshops are held each year October-December to assist potential applicants. Anyone considering applying within the next two-three years are encouraged to attend these workshops.

    After the EOI selection process, additional support will be provided to applicants in developing their full application. This will be in the form of workshops, mentoring, and one-on-one consultations. ALTC requires a specific student survey and this will be carried out on your behalf.

    Each year further support will be provided in the form of workshops and mentoring for those plannng to apply in a future year. Any EOIs not accepted in a particular year will be viewed as being ‘not ready yet’ rather than ‘not good enough’. It may be that your case requires additional evidence, additional time or additional reflection.

    Timelines for 2011

    October – December 2010 Support workshops for completing the EOI
    31 January 2011 Deadline for submitting the EOI/td>
    February-June Develop final applications
    15 June 2011 Internal submission of final applications