Teaching awards and grants - Flinders University Staff

Flinders University has a proud history of rewarding teaching innovation and excellence.

The teaching award framework enables the University to recognise and reward teaching excellence across the institution, as well as identify and support staff to make competitive submissions for national awards.

The trajectory of success commences with College Teaching Awards before progressing to Institutional Teaching Awards and on to National Teaching Awards.

Quick links

College teaching awards

The College-level awards are designed to recognise and reward teaching excellence and innovation and to encourage and prepare staff in their applications for the Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence awards.

College of Business, Government and Law

Past recipients

Vice-President and Executive Dean's Award for Innovation in Learning and Teaching

Up to two awards will be awarded.

Vice-President and Executive Dean's Awards for Excellence in Teaching

Up to two awards will be awarded.

Closing date: COB Friday 14 June 2024

Forms and guidelines

Guidelines for teaching excellence award

Guidelines for VPED teaching and learning innovation award

Submit applications to renee.cannon@flinders.edu.au

College of Education, Psychology and Social Work

Teaching Excellence Awards

Up to three awards will be awarded.

Innovation in Learning and Teaching Awards

Up to three awards will be awarded.

Closing date: COB 27 Sep 2024

FORMS AND GUIDELINES

Guidelines

Submit enquiries to: cepsw.deaneducation@flinders.edu.au

College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Innovation in Teaching Awards

Up to three awards will be awarded.

Excellence in Teaching Awards

Up to three awards will be awarded.

Closing date: COB 8 July 2024

Winners have been announced! See College award winners section below for details.

FORMS AND GUIDELINES

Excellence in teaching award guidelines

Innovation in teaching award guidelines

Excellence in teaching award forms and checklist

Innovation in teaching award forms and checklist

Forms and guidelines

Guidelines

For information contact cnhs.deaneducation@flinders.edu.au

College of Medicine and Public Health

Vice-President and Executive Dean Teaching Excellence Awards

Closing Date: COB 14 June 2024.

Forms and guidelines

Guidelines

Guidelines for VPED teaching excellence awards

Submit applications to cmph.operations@flinders.edu.au

College of Science and Engineering

Vice-President and Executive Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award

One 'junior' award will be for staff with less than seven years of teaching experience in an academic role.
One 'senior' award will be for staff with more than seven years of teaching experience in an academic role.

STEM Academy Teaching Innovation Award

Up to two awards will be awarded.

Closing Date: COB 29 April 2024

FORMS AND GUIDELINES

Guidelines

Contact CSE.deanED@flinders.edu.au for more information.

Winners

College of Business, Government and Law

Learning and Teaching Innovation Award

Dr Afshin Tanouri citing – For incorporating a fully gamified technology in marketing education at postgraduate level to enhance academic outcomes as well as student’s experience.
Dr Robert Chalmers and Dr Simone Daniells citing - An innovative approach to student co-creation of learning and course design in Law’s Juris Doctor (JD) program, and implementation of a systematic approach to continuous improvement.

Teaching Excellence Award

Criminology Group – A/Prof Marinella Marmo, Dr Katherine McLachlan, Dr Melissa de Vel-Palumbo, Dr Andrew Groves and Dr Jeremy Ryder citing - Development of curricula, resources or services that reflect a command of the field.

College of Education, Psychology and Social Work

Innovation in Teaching and Learning Awards

Rachael Hedger For outstanding innovation to promote excellence in student learning through the design and development of The Pintya Kuu Early Childhood Teaching Space.
Dr Chidozie Alozie For outstanding innovation to promote excellence in student learning through delivery of the Education Movie Nights.
Dr Melinda Thambi For outstanding leadership and support of staff with a focus on student success through creation and delivery of ‘Video Creation’ Workshops; facilitation and promotion of the Digital Innovation Working Group and resource development to support the Canvas transition.

Teaching Excellence Awards

Dr Joanne Buckskin, Geoff McCaul & Joss Rankin For excellence in creating curriculum that authentically embeds culturally responsive pedagogies at the heart of teaching and learning.
Matt Christian, Dr Ali Enright & Associate Professor Lydia Woodyatt For exceptional leadership in implementing a student-centred topic template and fostering student success and wellbeing.
Dr Ben Lohmeyer For enhancing student’s affective engagement with the curriculum and meeting flexible learning needs through podcasting.

College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Excellence in Teaching Team Award

Helen Carter (Team Lead), Claire Henry, Julia Erhart, Tom Young, Nicholas Godfrey, Matt Hawkins, Cameron Nelson.

Citation and description

Citation: The Screen team demonstrates best practice in industry engagement for student learning and professional opportunities in the BCA (Screen) and BCI (Film and Television). Through deep partnerships with the SA screen industry, Screen staff create industry-focused educational experiences within and beyond our classrooms.

This is an outstanding example of teaching excellence. The team have developed learning experiences that draw upon and strengthen authentic and reciprocal relationships between Flinders staff, students and industry leaders. At the core of this project is a conceptualisation of job readiness that extends beyond simple skills development to supporting students to explore the possibilities of creative work and their potential roles and opportunities within the screen industry locally, nationally and internationally. The teaching team achieve this through working with community organisations over extended projects, inviting industry guests to topics and the unit meetings that are themselves role modelling industry expectations of collaboration, and linking students into professional networks. These activities are successful due to the typically invisible work of effective teaching, work that extends well beyond the student-teacher interactions into tending community and professional relationships. This is time-intensive and sometimes sensitive work, and it is heartening to see the rewards for students and the community arising from this effort. Screen’s approach is an example of best practice in working with industry, authentic learning and collegiality. The approach is replicable and situated within the relevant scholarship of teaching and learning.

Excellence in Teaching Individual Award

Gerti Szili

Citation and description

Citation: This application addresses Criterion One: Approaches to teaching and the support of learning that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn, for teaching within Geography and Environmental Studies. The application supports and celebrates consistent, student-centred efforts across two decades of teaching.

This application highlights the valuable and challenging work of introducing students to disciplinary knowledge they have not previously understood to be useful or important. Gerti teaches geography to students across very different courses and with widely varying interests and aspirations, many of whom have assumed geography to be about ‘capital cities and country flags’. Gerti’s approach foregrounds this diversity by encouraging students to explore the relevance of geographical concepts to their own work through offering a range of negotiated student assessments and encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations. There are many student voices presented throughout and the enthusiastic student feedback provides compelling evidence of the success of this approach. The students are clearly central to this whole approach; Gerti’s work is an excellent example of a student-centred approach to learning, one that meets students where they are and sees these differences as an opportunity to promote multi-disciplinarity in students’ understanding of the world. The strategies for achieving this are rooted in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Innovation in Teaching Team Award

Dr Gareth Butler, Ms Helen Carter and Ms Katie Cavanagh

Citation and description

Citation: Our interdisciplinary team (Tourism, Screen/Media, VEED), in collaboration with University-wide and external industry stakeholders, developed several innovative projects aligned with UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development 2030 framework by facilitating ‘action-oriented, innovative pedagogy’ in response to environmental challenges on Kangaroo Island.

This is an excellent example of innovation in teaching and learning. The team have developed a learning experience that synthesises global imperatives of sustainability with local and national stakeholder needs in a multi-disciplinary context. The innovation lies in the inter-connections of disciplines that do not typically work together – at Flinders or more broadly – and offer students an opportunity to benefit from complementary skills to create something of real use to a community. The approach innovative in applying inter-disciplinarity in an approach that skills and problem focussed practice. It speaks powerfully to the commitment and creativity of the teaching team. It is an outstanding example of authentic learning, with tangible outcomes that are now being used by stakeholders. The project is valuable in the specific context of KI recovery and has the potential to be replicated and expanded to other issues and inter-disciplinary collaborations. The approach is thoughtfully supported with reference to SOTL literature.

College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Excellence in Teaching Awards (Individual Winner)

Alicia Bell

Description

Alicia is a Nurse practitioner who has created opportunities for interprofessional student placement opportunities by developing strong and sustainable relationships with Good Start Early Learning and the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network.

Her work with Goodstart Early Learning attracted external attention, leading to an interview by Channel 7, which aired as a news story about the Goodstart relationship and importance of standardized developmental screening. This provided additional exposure led to further interest from Industry Partners, such as Autism SA and the Benevolent Society, resulting in meetings and discussions about potential future collaborations.

Her collaboration with the head of Paediatrics at Flinders Medical Centre led to a memorandum of understanding between SALHN and Flinders University (Health2Go) to address community needs by seeing children on the extensive SALHN wait lists in the paediatric Nurse Practitioner Health2Go clinic to complete child assessments. She also received an invitation from the Women’s and Children’s Health Network to participate in an Autism Spectrum Clinical Trial which illustrates her clinical and research standing in acute care and areas of child development.

Excellence in Teaching Awards (Team Winner)

A/ Prof Ivanka Prichard and team (Dr Claire Gough, Dr Tori Llewelyn, Dr Matthew Ankers)

Description

Under Ivanka’s leadership, the team developed, implemented, and refined a suite of three scaffolded topics in research and study skills, within the Bachelor of Health Sciences.

Developed over a three-year period, these topics are offered in person, and online and have a large and diverse student cohort.

The three research and study skills topics are core within the Health Sciences degrees, combined degrees and in other allied health profession degrees. HLTH1010 is also core in the Bachelor Public Health and has been used as the blueprint for a topic in the Flinders Academy.

From 2024 onwards, the three topics will be offered at the new city campus (Festival Plaza), online for the new Bachelor of Nutrition and Exercise, and within the new rural and remote pathways for Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Speech Pathologists.

College of Medicine and Public Health

VPED Teaching Excellence Award:
2023 - Dr Helen Harrison

College of Science and Engineering

VPED Teaching Excellence Award:

2024 - Kirstin Ross: Recognises an international collaboration established by me, which supports international teaching and learning in environmental health
2024 - Sarah Harmer & Tony Scoble: Developing an engaging and inspiring physics curriculum, exposing students to cutting-edge research develop sociopolitical awareness, ensuring their successful preparation for graduate research and industry
2024 - Sunita Ramesh

2023 - Dr Ashley Connolly: Engaging and inspiring students to learn using interactive lectures and simple ‘at home’ experiment.

Institutional Awards

The Vice-Chancellor’s Awards are designed to recognise and reward teaching excellence and innovation and to encourage and prepare staff in their applications for National Teaching Awards.

The VC Awards deadline for 2024 is COB Wednesday 18 September.

Vice-Chancellor's Innovation in Teaching Awards

Vice-Chancellor’s Innovation in Teaching Awards

The awards recognise recent responsive and sustainable educational initiatives that address one of six key strategic objectives of the university and exemplify a culture of innovation and excellence:

Deliver a richly interactive and personalised approach to learning with a paramount focus on student success.
Be an international leader in educational innovation, advanced learning technologies and learning analytics.
Develop enterprising graduates equipped with the skills required for success in the knowledge economy.
Engage students as partners in the co-creation of a learning experience that inspires achievement.
Embed research and critical thinking as core skills for every Flinders graduate.
Deliver and commit to broadening the reach of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural content so that students encounter and engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural content as an integral part of their course of study.

The key component of a nomination is a 3-5 minute video addressing the chosen strategic objective, pertaining to the following key areas:

Innovation in curriculum design which includes structures, underpinning educational/ pedagogical theory, assessment, and approach to content.
Innovation in teaching practice and delivery including in relation to online, partial on campus and/or on campus. At least one award will be made to teaching innovations that involve online or partial on campus delivery.

Each winner (either individual or team) is presented with a certificate and receives a prize of $2000.

Deadline: COB Wednesday 18 September

Application form

Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellence in Teaching

Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching

recognise and reward teaching excellence
encourage teaching excellence through this recognition
promote to both the Flinders and outside community that we are proud of our academic staff and that they perform to national and international standards
each winner (either individual or team) is presented with a certificate and receives a prize of $5000.

The key component of a nomination is a 4-page written statement addressing one of the selection criteria below:

Approaches to teaching and/or the support of learning that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn.
Development of curricula, resources or services that reflect a command of the field.
Effective assessment practices that bring about improvements in student learning, may have a focus on academic integrity or digital solutions, or any assessment strategies that bring about change.
Innovation or leadership that has influenced and enhanced learning and teaching and/or student experience.
Education that embodies Rural, Regional, Remote and Indigenous students and perspectives.
Industry or professional experiences that involve deep partnerships in the educational experience.

The written statement and attachments can be uploaded via the application form below.

Rules and eligibility

Deadline: COB Wednesday 18 September

Application form

2023 Winners

Vice-Chancellor Award for Excellence in Teaching

Dr Ali Enright: For transformative leadership that builds scalable, sustainable change in student success by fostering a culture of innovation, transitioning staff and students to exceed their potential.
Dr Claire Henry, Ms Helen Carter, Dr Tom Young, Associate Professor Julia Erhart, Dr Nicholas Godfrey, Dr Matt Hawkins, Mr Cameron Nelson, and Mr Todd Pursche: Through deep partnerships with industry practitioners, Screen staff develop students’ professional identity, skills, networks and employability through authentic, industry-supported learning within and beyond our classrooms.
Associate Professor Ingo Koeper, Dr Jeanne Young, Dr Narelle Hunter, Dr Liu-Fei Tan, and Ms Margaret Alexander: For the development and implementation of a course-spanning framework providing students with scaffolded career-building activities throughout their studies.

Vice-Chancellor Award for Innovation in Teaching

Dr Gareth Butler, Professor Karen Burke da Silva, Ms Katie Cavanagh, Ms Helen Carter, and Dr Julian Beaman: A cross-disciplinary umbrella project designed to support environmental and socio-economic recovery on Kangaroo Island after the 2019-2020 bushfires.

Vice-Chancellor Commendees | Innovation in Teaching

Dr Jessica Genauer and Dr Luis da Vinha: Redefining the creation of asynchronous educational content by harnessing the power of AI to transform educational technology.
Dr Elke Sokoya: A hybrid approach to practicals which combines an in-person offering and a comprehensive online platform.
Dr Timna Garnett: Challenging traditional, informal science education institutes (ISEI), such as The Zoo and transforming them into a STEM-rich educational environments by delivering a richly interactive and personalised approach to learning.

Previous Institutional Award Winners

2022 Vice Chancellor's Innovation in Teaching Award Winning Entry

Video:

Associate Professor Jonathan Benjamin, Mr Hiro Yoshida, Associate Professor Wendy Van Duivenvoorde and Dr John McCarthy won the 2022 Vice Chancellor's Award for Innovation in Teaching for their work in the Flinders University Maritime Archaeology Program, developing an accredited micro-credential in Professional Scientific Diving.

View previous year's winners

National teaching awards

The Australian Awards for University Teaching recognise quality teaching practice and outstanding contributions to student learning, demonstrating excellence in higher education learning and teaching. 

Citations for outstanding contributions to student learning
Awards for programs that enhance learning (Program awards)
Awards for teaching excellence (Teaching awards)
Award for Australian University teacher of the year

Professional Development Sessions

It is recommended that nominees attend an online Professional Development session, relevant to their selected award category. There will be a number of sessions held across May and June 2024. View the program here.

If would like to attend a PD session, please email awards.grants@flinders.edu.au for more information.

Previous recorded sessions can be viewed here:

Watch the online PD sessions

For more resources to support your application, see the guides and support section below.

2024 AAUT KEY DATES

Tasks	Dates
Nominations information pack released	6 May 2024
Nominee registration and submission	12 August - 1 September 2024
Assessment	September - December 2024

More information and resources

2022 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching

Dr David Hobbs and Team (Dr Thomas Vincent, Professor Giselle Rampersad, Dr Vlatka Zivotic-Kukolj, Nalini Klopp, Kahlene Michalanney, Jess Venning and Larissa Pearce), College of Science and Engineering
Dr Mai Ngo, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

2022 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Innovation in Teaching

Associate Professor Jonathan Benjamin and Team (Mr Hiro Yoshida, Associate Professor Wendy Van Duivenvoorde and Dr John McCarthy), College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences)

2021 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching

Dr Sandra Mortimer & Ellice Willcourt, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Dr Eric Parisot, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

2020 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching

Dr Louisa Matwiejczyk, Dr Kacie Dickinson & Dr Kathryn Jackson, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Ying Yu, Leeanne Pront, Angie Sterland & Maureen Redden, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Dr Maria Giannacopoulos, College of Business, Government and Law

2020 & 2021 Vice-Chancellor’s Innovation in Teaching Awards

Joss Rankin, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
Associate Professor Christine Barry and Lilian Fellner, College of Medicine and Public Health
Dr Masha Smallhorn and Dr Narelle Hunter, College of Science and Engineering
Dr Nina Sivertsen, Nancy Bates, David Copley, Donna Fraser, Larissa Taylor, Racquel Austin-Abdullah and Tahlia Johnson, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Associate Professor Sam Elliott, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
Dr Philip Palmer, College of Business, Government and Law

2019 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching

A/Prof Barbara Baird, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Dr Maxine Moore, College of Medicine and Public Health
Dr Stefania Velardo, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work

2016 – 2017 – 2018 Vice-Chancellor’s Award Recipients

Our success

AAUT award winners

2023 AAUT

Dr Luis Da Vinha, College of Business, Government and Law

Developing interactive video resources that foster engagement and active online learning using research-informed innovative design and strategically disseminating best practice knowledge, supporting curricula design.

2021 AAUT

A/Prof Christine Barry, College of Medicine and Public Health

Teaching anatomical foundations for clinical excellence: evidence-based approaches that overcome cognitive barriers, develop metacognitive awareness and inspire clinically oriented student learning.

Dr Voula Gaganis, College of Medicine and Public Health

Heeding the call to action: transforming didactic, anachronistic pedagogy to active learning across large medical science classes to improve student engagement, experience, and academic success.

2020 AAUT

Dr Masha Smallhorn, College of Science and Engineering

For improving student learning outcomes and engagement in large first-year cohorts in biological sciences through research-informed, inquiry-based learning practicals.

WIL in Sport: Dr Deb Agnew & A/Prof Shane Pill, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work

For Innovation, leadership and scholarship of an integrated model of international Work Integrated Learning (WIL) for Sport that has enhanced the student experience.