WSU Teaching Excellence Awards

Western's Teaching Excellence Awards consist of:

DVCES Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (8 available) - These are open to academic staff, individuals and teams with two of the eight awards targeted for sessional staff and minimal service requirements will not apply.
Up to one Citation maybe award as an Indigenous-focused Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.

You can learn more about the Citations category here: Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning(Opens in a new window)
DVCES Excellence in Teaching Award (4 available)* - These are open to academic staff; individuals and teams, in the following four focus areas. However, where an award is not provided in one focus area, it may be awarded to an alternate focus area:
- Excellence in Teaching
- Excellence in Teaching – Partnerships
- Excellence in Teaching – Education for Sustainability
- Excellence in Teaching – Early Career Academic
You can learn more about the Excellence in Teaching Award category here: Excellence in Teaching Award(opens in a new window)
DVCES Excellence in Indigenous Teaching - This award category is open to eligible ongoing and sessional teaching staff at both an individual and team level.
Nominees do not have to identify as Indigenous Australian.
You can learning more about the Excellence in Indigenous Teaching Award here; Excellence in Indigenous Teaching Award(opens in a new window).

Nominees may apply for EITHER a Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning Award OR an Excellence in Teaching Award.

The Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning Award and Excellence in Teaching Award follow specific selection and assessment criteria, aligned with those specified by the Australian Government's Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT), as outlined in the nomination forms.

Important Dates:

Nominations Open: Monday 18 August
Nominations Close: Friday 17 September
Awards Ceremony: Tuesday 9 December

What you need to do now

Review the Learning and Teaching Award Guidelines (PDF, 331.58 KB)(opens in a new window);
Download the Excellence Award Checklist (PDF, 888.99 KB)(opens in a new window) OR the Citation Checklist (PDF, 1051.77 KB)(opens in a new window);
Review the Excellence Awards Policy and the Excellence Awards Procedures (specifically clauses 52-64 for teaching awards procedures and clauses 65-71 for the nomination process);
Consult with your Dean (you will need their endorsement in the application);
Reach out to your referees (you will need at least two, maximum six);
Start gathering your evidence!

Submit your application below:

DVCE&S Teaching Excellence Awards Submission

Enquiries:

All enquiries about the submission application process and resources should be directed to Learningandteaching@westernsydney.edu.au .

*One Excellence in Teaching nomination will be recommended by the Awards Panel for the Vice Chancellor's Excellence in Teaching - Teacher of the Year Award.

Resources

Internal Resources

AAUT (WSU Webpage)(Opens in a new window)
Evidencing your Practice(Opens in a new window)
Badugulang - Centre for Teaching and Learning Excellence(Opens in a new window)
University Excellence Awards(Opens in a new window)

AAUT Links

AAUT Good Forms of Evidence Examples(Opens in a new window)
AAUT Program Overview (PDF, 1182.71 KB)(Opens in a new window)
AAUT Assessment Matrix (PDF, 140.84 KB)(Opens in a new window)
AAUT Creating Winning Applications – Checklist Handout(Opens in a new window)
AAUT Suggestions on Writing a Successful Award Application(Opens in a new window)

Other External Awards

Engagement Australia(Opens in a new window)
Blackboard Awards(Opens in a new window)
AFR Higher Education Awards(Opens in a new window)
ACEN WIL Awards(Opens in a new window)

Selected Articles

The Value of the Australian Awards for University Teachers (AAUT)(Opens in a new window)
Learning and Teaching Benchmarking in Australian Universities(Opens in a new window)
In Pursuit of Teaching Excellence: Outward and Visible Signs of Inward and Invisible Grace(Opens in a new window)
International Perspectives on Teaching Excellence in Higher Education(Opens in a new window)