Alumni Awards

The UNE Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to a UNE graduate who:

• Over the course of their career has made significant contributions to their field;
• Displays outstanding leadership and professional qualities while embodying UNE’s values of creativity, innovation, risk-taking, access and inclusion;
• Embodies characteristics of honesty, ethical behaviour and authenticity;
• Will inspire future generations of UNE graduates with their achievements.

Selection criteria for the UNE Distinguished Alumni Award:

1. Describe in 500 words or less how the nominee has, over the course of their career, made significant contributions to their field.
2. Describe in 500 words or less how the nominee has, over the course of their career, displayed outstanding leadership and demonstrated UNE’s values of creativity, innovation and access and inclusion.
3. Describe in 500 words or less how the nominee has displayed characteristics of honesty, ethical behaviour and authenticity.
4. Describe in 500 words or less how the nominee has inspired or will inspire future generations of UNE graduates.

Distinguished Alumni Award Nomination Form

The UNE Alumni Community Award is presented to a UNE graduate who:

• Through paid or unpaid work has made significant contributions in the community sector, philanthropic or public life or to support not-for-profit organisations in Australia and internationally;
• Embodies UNE’s values of access and inclusion;
• Will inspire future generations of UNE graduates with their achievements.

Selection criteria for the UNE Alumni Community Award:

• Describe in 500 words or less how the nominee has, through paid or unpaid work, made significant contributions in the community sector, philanthropic or public life or to support not-for-profit organisations in Australia and internationally;
• Describe in 500 words or less how the nominee has, through paid or unpaid work, embodied UNE’s values of access and inclusion;
• Describe in 500 words or less how the nominee has inspired or will inspire future generations of UNE graduates with their work in their community.

Alumni Community Award Nomination Form

The UNE Rising Star Award is presented to a UNE graduate who:

• Is in the early stages of their career (15 years or less since graduation);
• Displays outstanding leadership and professional qualities while embodying UNE’s values of creativity, innovation, risk-taking, access and inclusion;
• Embodies characteristics of honesty, ethical behaviour and authenticity;
• Will inspire future generations of UNE graduates with their achievements.

Selection criteria for the UNE Rising Star Award:

• Describe in 500 words or less how the nominee has, since graduation, displayed outstanding leadership and professional qualities while embodying UNE’s values of creativity, innovation, risk-taking and access and inclusion;
• Describe in 500 words or less how the nominee has ,since graduation, embodied UNE’s values of honesty, ethical behaviour and authenticity;
• Describe in 500 words or less how the nominee has,since graduation, inspired current or future generations of UNE graduates, or will inspire future UNE graduates.

UNE Rising Star Award Nomination Form

1. A UNE graduate cannot win more than one award category in any calendar year and cannot win the same award category more than once.
2. Awards will not be awarded posthumously.
3. Joint nominations will be accepted for the Alumni Community Award.
4. Self-nominations will not be accepted. Please contact the Alumni Relations Coordinator if you cannot find a nominator Email: alumni@une.edu.au
5. Nominations will only be accepted from members of UNE Convocation including graduates, current or former UNE Council members, staff and former staff of the University of New England.
6. Current members of UNE Council or UNE Foundation Board of Directors are not eligible to be nominated in any award category.
7. Current UNE students are not eligible to be nominated in any award category.
8. Nominations must be accompanied by two written references. Referees must supply their contact details with their reference and may be contacted to verify their reference.
9. The selection panel’s decision is final on all matters relating to the nomination process and the selection of award recipients and no correspondence will be entered into.
10. The selection panel reserves the right to select nominations to remain valid for up to two years. Nominators will be responsible for updating additional information.
11. The selection panel reserves the right not to allocate an award in one of the categories if, in their opinion, there are no entries of sufficient merit. The number of awards allocated in each category will be at the discretion of the selection panel.
12. The University reserves the right to disclose the identity of the nominator to the nominee.
13. Personal information submitted to the University by the nominator or nominee, in connection with the awards, will be given to the selection panel for the purpose of judging the awards and will be stored in the University’s alumni database. The Alumni Relations office maintains confidentiality with all submissions and only notifies the award recipients, their nominators, and the nominators of all other candidates. Nominators should use their discretion as to the whether to notify their nominees during the process.
14. The nominator’s and/or winning nominee’s name, image and statement may be published and/or used in any form of media, in any context pertaining to the awards. For more information and a complete list of past alumni award recipients, visit: https://www.une.edu.au/alumni/alumni-awards/alumni-award-recipients
15. Nominations are to be forwarded via email or mail to arrive by 5pm 30 June.

For more information about the awards, see FAQs here or contact alumni@une.edu.au.