Academic Awards

In this category, we are looking for nominations for personal tutors who have gone above and beyond in helping their tutees to grow as people. They might have helped you to realise your academic strengths, or encouraged you to recognise your areas for improvement. They might have provided extra support in accessing academic and non-academic services across the university, helped with choosing a module or placement, or offered advice for career and personal development.

High quality feedback is an essential part of your progress throughout university. Good feedback doesn’t just show you what you did right or wrong, but gives pointers that make it clear how you can progress and improve on your work. It encourages you to reflect on your current knowledge and motivates you to do even better in your next assignments. This can be done in all sorts of engaging ways.
In this category, we are looking for nominations for Aston staff who excel in some or all of the following areas:

• Providing clear and detailed feedback that is easy to understand.
• Using innovative methods to keep feedback engaging.
• Giving students a clear picture of what is needed to be done to improve.

Modern technology opens up a world of opportunity for engaging and innovative university work. Used well, it makes work more interactive and more like the world of work. It is also a great tool for widening participation, allowing students to communicate no matter where they are or when they prefer to work. This award is for a lecturer, supervisor, tutor or teaching assistant who has championed the combination of pedagogy and technology. This person will have gone above and beyond to encourage interactive and engaging learning. In this category, we are looking for nominations for Aston staff who excel in some or all of the following areas:

• Using technology/ICT in an innovative way to make teaching more engaging.
• Using technology to encourage participation and reflection from diverse groups of students

Does your lecturer’s passion for their subject come across in their teaching? Do they make you eager to challenge yourself and learn more? Perhaps they push you to debate your ideas and back up your claims in your contact hours, or simply make their content come alive through their teaching. In this category, we are looking for nominations for Aston staff who excel in some or all of the following areas:

• Putting student engagement and interaction at the heart of their teaching.
• Using innovative teaching approaches to keep students engaged and interested.

If you are working on an extended research or practical project, then your supervisor can offer valuable insight into areas of your subject area that makes your work stand out. An outstanding supervisor might direct you to literature you haven’t considered before, encourage you to critically examine your methodology and research questions, and keep you motivated, even when you reach ‘dissertation hell’ and are tempted to give in!

Aston University needs more than lecturers to carry on being the outstanding institution that it is. Hundreds of staff work behind the scenes to ensure your timetables are correct, your computers are working correctly, your library is well stocked, and that you have the help that you need if something goes wrong. If there is a member of Aston staff who works in this capacity and has gone out of their way to provide an excellent service for you, or you think that they deserve recognition for the consistently high quality service that they provide, then nominate them for this award.

This award is for a lecturer, supervisor, tutor or teaching assistant who has provided you with the excellent learning resources you need to facilitate your learning. Staff from other eligible departments include, but are not limited to Library Services, e-Learning.

This award is for that hard-working member of staff tucked away behind the scenes, almost unnoticed, but whose work has a real impact on the quality of your life at Aston. Staff from eligible departments include but are not limited to Library Services, Faculty Staff, Administrative staff, Estates and Facilities.

Being sustainable and encouraging sustainability is important to Aston University. This award is for an exceptional staff member at Aston University who has been leading environmental and/or social change at Aston University through building sustainability into their curriculum. This staff member has also contributed to giving students a better understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by embedding the goals into their curriculum. Embedding sustainability into departmental/faculty policies and core functions. For example, making events sustainable, creating a sustainability business plan, making departments vegetarian or paperless, ensuring labs are efficient or enhancing green space across the institution.

In this category, we are looking for nominations for Student Representatives who have done outstanding work this year in representing their fellow students, regularly going the extra mile to ensure that their coursemates know where to go if they have feedback about their course, following up on action points, and closing the feedback loop so all students know that their feedback is being acted upon. They attend as many relevant meetings and functions as they can, and generally show commitment to their role throughout the year.

In this category, we are looking for nominations for Student Representatives who have worked together to effect change, enhancing the student experience for themselves and their fellow students. The team could be a whole Staff-Student Committee representative team, or as few as two Student Reps who have worked together to make a change at the university.

In this category, we are looking for nominations for Student Representatives who have had a significant win as a result of their work as a student rep. If you know a Rep who has worked hard to identify an issue, build support and push for change, resulting in a positive change to students’ academic experience, then nominate them for this award!

This award is given to a student rep who is consistently involved and shows a consistent communication with the SU as well as their cohort. This student rep could be someone who asks you for your feedback in person or online. The most engaged student rep award is implemented to show appreciation for the student representatives who are consistently willing to get involved and raise concerns.

This award is for a Student Rep that would qualify to all the above 4 awards.

This award is for Aston London students only. Please ensure that only Aston London students are nominated in this category.
This award recognises an exceptional Aston London Student Rep who has gone above and beyond in representing and supporting their student community. They have demonstrated outstanding commitment to enhancing the academic and social experience of Aston London students through proactive communication, meaningful engagement, and strong advocacy. This rep consistently listens to student concerns, collaborates effectively with staff, and works to implement positive changes that benefit their peers. Through their dedication, leadership, and enthusiasm, they have made a significant, lasting impact on the student experience at Aston London.

For School Reps ONLY
In this category, we are looking for someone who is a beacon of leadership and has demonstrated taking initiative to organise impactful events that enhance the institution's image. With strong communication skills, they advocate for student interests, excel in teamwork, and introduce innovative ideas to improve the student experience. This dedicated representative fosters community, upholds ethical standards, and demonstrates adaptability and resilience. Their commitment to effective representation and leadership makes them a paragon of excellence, positively influencing student life, academic experience, and campus culture.

For School Reps ONLY
This award is for a school rep who stands out as a true leader, going above and beyond their core responsibilities. This person takes initiative to organize impactful events and campaigns that elevate the institution's reputation, all while building a strong sense of community. With excellent communication skills and an innovative approach, they advocate for student needs, create positive change, and foster collaboration. They consistently demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and a passion for enhancing the student experience, making them a role model for others in leadership and representation.

This award recognizes a school rep or student rep who has gone above and beyond in providing outstanding support to fellow student reps or students in their school. They demonstrate a genuine commitment to helping others by offering guidance, sharing resources, and creating a collaborative and supportive environment. This School rep is approachable, empathetic, and consistently works to ensure their peers feel heard and empowered. Their efforts have made a significant positive impact on their school community.

This award celebrates a student or school rep who has played a key role in fostering a strong sense of community within their course or school. They have actively organized events, facilitated discussions, or implemented initiatives that bring students together, creating an inclusive and supportive environment. This rep demonstrates exceptional leadership, collaboration, and dedication to building connections and enhancing the student experience within their academic community.

This award is for an academic society that has significantly contributed to enhancing your academic journey. The nominated society should demonstrate exceptional engagement with students by organizing activities that creatively combine academics with fun, career development, and social engagement. Whether through hosting insightful events, providing networking opportunities, or fostering a supportive environment, this society has made a lasting impact on its members' university experience.