UCL is finalist for first Global Teaching Excellence Award

The Award recognises institution-wide approaches to teaching excellence, assessing vision, leadership and strategies for change.  The 27 finalists include universities from Australia, Canada, Europe and Asia.

In partnership with Times Higher Education, HEA will make the Award to an overall winner at a ceremony in London on Monday 4 September.  

Svava Bjarnason, chair of the GTEA judging panel and a former member of the World Bank Education Sector Board, congratulated all the finalists, saying, “Our panel was looking for robust evidence of excellence in three areas: leadership, teaching and in student support. We found a great deal of outstanding practice in these submissions.”

Professor Anthony Smith, UCL Vice-Provost (Education and Student Affairs) said: ‘It’s great that our work to raise the status and quality of a UCL education is being recognised in this way.  Over the last few years we have developed a robust strategy centred on the Connected Curriculum, our framework for research-based education, on engaging with students as full partners, and on recognition and reward for staff. I am confident that this will help us to deliver consistently outstanding teaching and learning to our students.’   

Professor Dilly Fung, who submitted the application for the Global Teaching Award on behalf of UCL, said that there has been huge international interest in UCL's distinctive approach to enhancing student education, with academics and institutional leaders from around the world seeking more information about UCL’s education strategy. This interest was highlighted at the recent Connecting Higher Education conference held at UCL.

Professor Stephanie Marshall, HEA Chief Executive Officer, said, “Our mission is about improving learning outcomes by raising the status and quality of teaching in higher education.  These awards help do that by highlighting outstanding practice wherever it is happening in the world.”