2016 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence:
Guidelines and Nomination Form
1.
PURPOSE
1.1
2.
To recognise and encourage excellence in teaching and to acknowledge the central place of
teaching and learning in the University.
STAFF ELIGIBILITY
2.1
The Vice-chancellor’s Awards for Teaching Excellence are open to all academic staff members,
up to and including Level E, who:

currently hold a continuing or fixed term appointment at Charles Sturt University on a full-time or
fractional basis of 0.4 or greater;

have completed at least two (2) years of service at Charles Sturt University; and

have successfully completed probation.
2.2
The awards do not apply to honorary, visiting, adjunct or executive staff.
2.3
Nominees for an Individual Award:
2.4
3.
a)
must have received a Faculty/Division (or other management area) Award in any award
category, or an external citation, at some point in their employment at Charles Sturt
University.
b)
may include staff who received an external Award for Teaching Excellence;
c)
may include staff who received a Vice-Chancellor’s Team Award in an earlier year for a
different achievement;
d)
may not include staff who received a Vice-Chancellor’s Individual Award for Teaching
Excellence in the previous three years;
e)
may not be nominated for a Vice-Chancellor’s Team Award for Teaching Excellence.
Nominees for a Team Award:
a)
may include academic and/or general staff, from one or more sections and/or
campuses, who have made a sustained contribution to the team’s achievement;
b)
may include team members who have not completed two years of service at Charles
Sturt University;
c)
may include staff who received a Vice-Chancellor’s Individual or Team Award in an
earlier year for a different achievement;
d)
may not be nominated for a Vice-Chancellor’s Individual Award for Teaching Excellence;
e)
may include casual staff nominated as part of a Team Award.
NOMINATIONS
The Division of Human Resources annually invites applications for the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for
Teaching Excellence from Individuals and Teams. Nominations can be made by one academic peer of
Charles Sturt University (may include Dean) or its enterprises, and one student (current or former
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within the past three years). If the nomination is from a former student, the student must have been
taught by the academic within the past 3 years.
4.
3.1
Nominations are to be based on excellence in teaching and performance over a sustained
period of three of more years for staff who meet the eligibility criteria.
3.2
Self-nominations will not be accepted for the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards in Teaching Excellence.
3.3
Once nominees have been informed of their nomination either by the Dean or by their
nominating academic peer and student they must accept their nomination in writing by
completing and signing the Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award Application Form.
3.4
Completed applications are sent by the nominees to Tania Cowgill, Administrative Officer:
Teaching Awards and Grants, Division of Student Learning.
SELECTION PROCESS
4.1
5.
AWARD
5.1
6.
9.
Formal announcement of the recipients of the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching
Excellence occurs at the combined Faculty/Division/Vice-Chancellor’s Awards presentation
ceremony in Wagga Wagga and Bathurst.
EXPECTATIONS OF AWARD RECIPIENTS
7.1
8.
There are 2 individual and/or team awards for the Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence
Awards.
ANNOUNCEMENT AND PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
6.1
7.
The selection committee for the Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award comprises the
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) as its Presiding Officer and the Curriculum Learning and
Teaching Committee. This Committee will make a recommendation to the Vice-chancellor for
the Awards from the nominations received.
Award recipients are normally expected to make their teaching philosophies and/or practices
more widely known throughout the University. For example, they may be invited to participate
in seminars or presentations, write a paper, act as a resource person, or act as a mentor to
their colleagues with respect to teaching. They will also be encouraged to apply for the Office
of Learning and Teaching’s Awards for Australian University Teaching.
DEADLINES IN 2016
8.1
Completed application to Tania Cowgill, Administrative Officer: Teaching Awards and Grants,
Division of Student Learning by 30 May 2016.
8.2
Curriculum Learning & Teaching Awards Committee meets by videoconference in June 2016.
NEED ASSISTANCE?
Assistance to develop a Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award application is available from:

Associate Professor Joy Wallace, Faculty of Arts

Dr Rachel Richardson, Faculty of Education;
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
Julia Lynch, Faculty of Business;

Dr Janelle Wheat, Faculty of Science;

Professor Sandra Wills, PVC Division of Student Learning;

Your school-based Educational Designer; or

Previous Faculty or University Award winners.
Advice on processes and timelines is available from:

Tania Cowgill, Administrative Officer: Teaching Awards and Grants, Division of Student
Learning.
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2016 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching
Excellence: Application Guidelines
The written statement (Overview plus Statement addressing the criteria) is limited to 8 A4 pages in total
and should include all bibliographic information that might be referred to in the submission.

The 8 page limit will be strictly administered with all pages in excess of 8 removed
before being sent to the assessors.

Margins should be at least 2cm with clear paragraph definition using 11 point Arial or 11
point Calibri.
2016 Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award nomination forms
Please find attached two nomination forms at the end of the guidelines, one for a student and one for an
academic staff member. The two nomination forms are to be attached to the application when received
from nominators.
2016 Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence award application cover page
Please find attached a Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award application cover page at the end of
the guidelines.
Written statement
The written statement describes the nominee’s teaching activities and achievements and must address
each of the five assessment criteria, providing evidence for their claims.
The written statement must be presented in the following order:
1.
Synopsis

must cover the nominee’s teaching area or discipline, teaching experience, the
particular focus of their teaching, teaching methods, and their research/teaching
interests and

must be between 150-200 words and written in the third person.
2.
Overview
3.
Statement addressing the five criteria
1
Approaches to the support of learning and teaching that influence, motivate and inspire
students to learn. This may include fostering student development by stimulating curiosity and
independence in learning; contributing to the development of students’ critical thinking skills,
analytical skills and scholarly values; encouraging student engagement through the enthusiasm
shown for learning and teaching; inspiring and motivating students through high-level
communication, presentation and interpersonal skills; and enabling others to enhance their
approaches to learning and teaching.
2
Development of curricula, resources and services that reflect a command of the field. This may
include developing and presenting coherent and imaginative resources for student learning;
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implementing research-led approaches to learning and teaching; demonstrating up-to-date
knowledge of the field of study in the design of the curriculum and the creation of resources
for learning; communicating clear objectives and expectations for student learning; providing
support to those involved in the development of curricula and resources; and contributing
professional expertise to enhance curriculum or resources.
3
Approaches to assessment, feedback and learning support that foster independent learning.
This may include integrating assessment strategies with the specific aims and objectives for
student learning; providing timely, worthwhile feedback to students on their learning; using a
variety of assessment and feedback strategies; implementing both formative and summative
assessment; adapting assessment methods to different contexts and diverse student needs
and learning styles; and contributing professional expertise to enhance assessment and/or
feedback.
4
Respect and support for the development of students as individuals. This may include
participating in the effective and empathetic guidance and advising of students; assisting
students from equity and other demographic subgroups to participate and achieve success in
their courses; and influencing the overall academic, social and cultural experience of higher
education.
5
Scholarly activities and service innovations that have influenced and enhanced learning and
teaching. This may include showing advanced skills in evaluation and reflective practice;
participating in and contributing to professional activities related to learning and teaching;
coordination, management and leadership of courses and student learning; conducting and
publishing research related to teaching; and demonstrating leadership through activities that
have broad influence on the profession.
In assessing nominations against the five selection criteria, the Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award
Selection Committee will take into account:

the extent to which the claims for excellence are supported by formal and informal
evaluation;

the extent of creativity, imagination or innovation, irrespective of whether the approach
involves traditional learning environments or technology-based developments; and

the information contained in student questionnaires, references and selected teaching
materials submitted by the nominee. The Selection Committee may contact nominees
and/or referees for clarification or further information.
The five selection criteria will be given equal consideration by the Selection Committee.
The remainder of the written statement should be devoted to addressing each of the five criteria in turn.
Evidence in support of the claims against these criteria must be provided. The views of students,
collaborators and/or colleagues, as appropriate, will be a key element in the assessment of the
nominations.
Curriculum vitae
The curriculum vitae should outline the nominee’s educational qualifications, employment history, teaching
positions held and teaching experience.
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The curriculum vitae is limited to three A4 (minimum 11 point type in Arial, Times New Roman or similar
font) pages for nominations from individuals. Teams may allow for one additional page per team member
i.e., a team of three may have five pages (three + two). Pages in excess of this limit will be removed.
References
Two references, of no more than one A4 page each, must be provided by people who are able to comment
on the nominee’s teaching against the selection criteria. One of the referees must be the Head of the
nominee’s Faculty, Division or School. If the nomination is from a team, the references should apply to the
team. The references must be signed by the referee. Electronic signatures on references supplied by the
referee to the nominee by email are acceptable.
Only the first page of a reference exceeding this limit will be provided to the assessors and committee.
Supporting teaching materials
While assessment is based primarily on the written statement addressing the assessment criteria,
nominees can choose to submit two of the following supporting materials. Supporting teaching materials
are limited to a maximum of two of:

a three minute video (which could include footage of the nominee talking about their
teaching, their teaching philosophy or interviews with students)

website (URL) and/or

the equivalent of 10 pages of printed material in PDF (additional pages will be removed).
Range of teaching responsibilities
This form is attached for your convenience at the end of the guidelines.
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2016 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching
Excellence: Student Nomination Form
Tick One:

Individual Award

Team Award
I/We
hereby nominate _____________________, for a Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence for 2016.
This form is to be completed by a current or former Charles Sturt University student who is nominating an
academic staff member for a Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence for 2016.
YOUR DETAILS AS A CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY STUDENT*
Name
Student number
Course enrolled in
Year(s) taught by nominee
Please provide reasons for nominating the above academic staff member.
Signature___________________________________Date_____________________
When you have completed this form, please return it to the academic staff member you are nominating.

For more than one student, attach an additional sheet which details the nominator/s name, student
number, course enrolled in, and year(s) taught by the nominee.
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2016 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching
Excellence: Staff Nomination Form
I ___________________________________hereby nominate _____________________, for a ViceChancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence for 2016.
YOUR DETAILS AS A CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC STAFF MEMBER
First and last name
School
Faculty
Please provide reasons for nominating the above academic staff member.
Signature___________________________________Date_____________________
When you have completed this form, please return it to the academic staff member you are nominating.
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2016 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching
Excellence Application Cover Page
First and last name
School/Faculty
Telephone
Postion (eg level C academic
 Individual nomination
 Team nomination
(Tick (√) one box)
For team nominations (If team is larger than five members, a team name should also be given)
Team Name
List names of other team members
Title
First and last name
Nominees’ declaration
I/We (print name of nominee or team representative)
Accept nomination for a Vice-Chancellor’s award for Teaching Excellence for 2016.
Signature
Date
Head of School’s support for nomination and authorisation:
I confirm that the information above is true and correct and that the nominee(s) referred to on this form
is/are currently a member(s) of this School’s teaching staff. I support this nomination on the basis of the
attached application.
Signature
School
Printed Name
Date
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2016 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching
Excellence: Details of Range of Teaching
Responsibilities Performed
(within the last three years)
Year/
Semester
Subject
Mode of
Delivery
Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching Excellence
No of Student(s)
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