President's Awards for Excellence in Teaching 2021/2022 - Call Now Open

Who can nominate?

Students/Alumni: Students and alumni can nominate individuals or teams who they feel have made a significant and outstanding impact on their learning experience in DCU.  Please note the exception to this is current PhD students who may NOT nominate their supervisor.

Colleagues: Individuals/teams can be nominated by colleagues with direct experience of the nominee's teaching, heads of school or anyone else who wishes to acknowledge their outstanding contributions to teaching and learning in DCU.

Nomination Process

Nominations can be made using the appropriate online form provided below. Please note that up to two additional nominators can be included on a single nomination. Where a larger number of people wish to nominate an individual/team, multiple nominations should be made. Where an individual, for example, a Class Rep, wishes to nominate on behalf of a class this can be stated in the nomination however greater emphasis will be placed on nominations received by individual nominators rather than on behalf of a group.  Each nominator and supporter(s) will receive an email acknowledging the nomination.

Students wishing to nominate staff should use the following form

• Nominate staff member

Staff may nominate through appropriate links below.  

• Academic or New Lecturer Category
• Teams and Teaching Support Category

Guidelines when making a nomination

• Self-nomination is not permitted and canvassing for a nomination on one’s own behalf is strongly discouraged
• Nominations from current PhD students for their supervisors are not accepted.
• The more specific information you can provide the better the nomination will be. Nominators should give examples of the impact, significance, difference the nominee has brought to their teaching.  To achieve this carefully consider and answer the questions provided in the nomination form.

How to nominate

Nominations must be submitted by completing one of the following online forms:

Students wishing to nominate staff should use the following form

• Nominate staff member

Staff may nominate through appropriate links below.  

• Nomination form for Academic Staff and New Lecturers/Tutors
• Nomination Form for Teams and Teaching Support Staff

Please contact teu@dcu.ie if you have any questions about the process or the forms.

Please note:

• Nominees must be current members of DCU staff: visitors to the university are not eligible.
• Where there is ambiguity as to the eligibility or status of a nominee, the nominator may be contacted by the TEU for further clarification.
• Nominations will be considerably strengthened if they include student testimonies.
• An individual or team may be nominated more than once by separate nominators.
• The TEU will inform each nominee when his/her nomination has been accepted to verify if he or she is willing to be put forward for an award.

Staff nominated under the Academic staff and New Lecturer/Tutor categories are be invited to augment their nomination(s) with a short supporting portfolio using a specified template:

• Supporting portfolio template (Academic and New Lecturer/Tutor Category)
• Supporting portfolio template (Teams)

All nominations are evaluated by an evaluation panel made up of a sub group of Associate Deans, external evaluator from another third level institution and DCU’s President. DCU’s Faculties and relevant units are represented. The evaluation process is described below:

Academic and New Lecturer categories

In the case of these two categories, a shortlisting process is employed.

Shortlisting

Shortlisting is carried out by a group comprising the Deputy Registrar/Dean of Teaching and Learning, Associate Deans for Teaching and Learning/Education (one from each Faculty) and the Head of the Teaching Enhancement Unit. Shortlisting is based on the nominations received, so it is important to include as much pertinent information as possible in the original nomination. Those shortlisted will be invited to proceed to stage two of the evaluation process by submitting a supporting portfolio to support their nomination and to further illustrate their teaching approaches.

Final Evaluation and Selection

The shortlisted nominations are evaluated by a sub group as indicated above.

Teams

Teams nominated will be asked to submit a short supporting portfolio.

Teaching Support Category

Nominations for this category are evaluated on the basis of nominations received only. No additional information will be sought from nominees and there is no shortlisting process.

Awards

There will be an overall award winner in each of the three categories. In addition, at the discretion of the evaluation panel, up to three additional special awards may be made. All of those nominated, including those not shortlisted, will be recognised at this event.

Key Information

• Deadline for receipt of nominations: 25th February 2022 at 4pm.
• There are four award categories: Academic Staff, New Lecturers/Tutors (with less than 3 years teaching experience) Teams and Academic Support Staff.
• Staff nominated under the Academic staff category may, after an initial evaluation of nominations, be invited to augment their nomination(s) with a short supporting portfolio. 
• Staff nominated under the New Lecturers/Tutors category will also be invited to augment their nomination(s) with a short supporting portfolio. 
• Teams nominated will be asked to submit a short supporting portfolio.
• A nomination can be made for an individual member of staff or a team.
• An individual or team may be nominated more than once.
• Nominations can be made by an individual member of DCU staff, DCU students, DCU alumni, or any combination of these.
• Nominations will be considerably strengthened if they include student testimonials.
• Evaluations will be conducted by a panel comprised of a subgroup as identified above.
• For academic staff nominations, awards will be made in three areas - Teaching Assessment, Feedback and Group Teaching. In addition, an overall award for Teaching Excellence will be made in the form of a teaching enhancement grant, to be used to further enhance the winner's teaching practice and/or student learning: Academic Staff - €2,500, New Lecturers/Tutors - €1,000, Team Award - €1,000, Academic Support Staff - €1,000.  In addition, at the discretion of the evaluation panel, up to three additional special awards may be made.
• Winners will also receive a commemorative President's Awards medal.
• Winners' names will be displayed on a specially commissioned plaque located in the foyer of the DCU Library.
• Awards will be presented by the University President at an awards ceremony on May 4th 2022.