AAUT Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning

Program categories

Nominees must select the relevant program category below. The six categories for the AAUT Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning are:

1. Widening participation

This category encompasses approaches to learning and teaching, and/or student experience which enhance student access, widen participation, and support progression.

2. Educational partnerships and collaborations with other organisations

This category encompasses partnerships between universities, and universities and other organisations—such as schools, private higher education providers, registered training organisations, professional bodies, businesses and industries in collaborative approaches to learning and teaching.

3. Innovation in curriculum design and pedagogy practice

This category encompasses approaches to learning and teaching that afford flexibility in time, place and/or mode of learning and innovations that encourage novel approaches to learning and teaching, innovations that align assessment with curriculum design, innovations that encourage or support multidisciplinary, research-based learning and teaching approaches, innovations that utilise the potential of new and/or emerging technologies.

4. Postgraduate education

This category encompasses programs and other activities that focus on postgraduate students, postgraduate coursework learning and teaching, postgraduate research supervision and research higher degree candidature and postgraduate learning support.

5. Student experiences and learning support services

This category encompasses services directly related to student learning such as those for specific groups of students, information access, course advising, language and learning support, counselling and disability support. It also encompasses learning engagement activities and other learning and teaching support services, such as those within large student groups to sustain and retain students, student enhancement, whole personal development learning and the quality of the first-year student experience.

6. Global citizenship and internationalisation

This category includes valuing and enhancing the international student experience, student exchange, international recruitment, transition programs for international students and internationalising the curriculum.

Preparing an application

1. Program Award nomination form

4 pages

The Nomination Form reports administrative information, includes a declaration from the nominee and institution and acts as a cover sheet for the nomination.

The completed nomination must have all boxes ticked and be signed by the following:

• Nominee
• Head of School/ Faculty
• Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) or their nominated delegate
• Institutional Contact Officer

2. Claims against assessment criteria

10 pages max.

Thisdescribes the program activities and achievements and must address all four assessment criteria, providing evidence to support claims. It is to be comprised of the following elements:

• Synopsis: 200 words max., which includes a description of the program and its contribution to student learning.
• Overview of the program and its context
• Statement addressing assessment criteria, include criterion headings, providing supporting evidence including impact on student learning.
• Reference list: nominees should use their preferred recognised reference style throughout and include a reference list within the 10 pages. Links to reference lists online will not be reviewed by assessors.

Assessment criteria

All nominations will be assessed on the evidence provided in response to the following four criteria which will be given equal consideration by the assessors:

1. Distinctiveness, coherence and clarity of purpose

• Extent to which the program has clear objectives and systematic approaches to coordination, implementation and evaluation

2. Influence on student learning and the student experience

• Extent to which the program targets identified needs and directly or indirectly, enhances student learning, student engagement and/or the overall student experience of higher education.

3. Breadth of impact

• Extent to which the program has led to widespread benefits for students, staff, the institution, and/or other institutions, consistent with the purpose of the program.

4. Addressing equity and diversity

• Extent to which the program promotes and supports equity and inclusiveness by improving access, participation and outcomes for diverse student groups.

3. Statement of contribution

1 page max., teams only

Team nominations must complete one A4 page that consists of the following:

• Name and indication of the percentage contribution of each team members (in order from highest to lowest). Note that team members are required to a contribution of 10 per cent or higher.
• An explanation of the role of each team member
• The maximum number of team members is 10 either from same institution or different institutions.

Team nomination requirements are as follows:

• A team for the purposes of the nomination is to be identified
• Team must have a team name as listed in the nomination form
• For publication purposes, titles and names stated in the team statement must be the same as listed on the nomination form
• If the team consists of members from different institutions, clearly state the representative institution on the nomination form and the Team lead’s institution will submit the entire nomination on behalf of the team.

4. Letters of reference

1 page each

Two letters of reference, of no more than one A4 page each, are to be provided by referees able to comment on the contribution to student learning against the assessment criteria. References should demonstrate familiarity with the contribution and context, providing endorsement of the claims and additional evidence relating to context, merit and impact on students. Where possible, at least one referee should be qualified to comment on the broader impact of program’s contribution based on relevant professional or personal expertise and standing.

References should:

• Include one referee who is the head of the Team Leader’s faculty, department, school or administrative unit or higher level.
• For team nominations, apply to the team not individual team members
• Include a statement acknowledging the referee’s acceptance of the Privacy Notice in the nomination form, e.g. ‘I accept the Privacy Notice provided by the nominee.’
• Be signed – electronic signatures are accepted
• Be on institutional letterhead
• Body text – Font must be Arial or Calibri regular 11 (narrow fonts must not be used)

5. Supporting materials

Supporting materials should illustrate and provide evidence of claims made against the selection criteria. Please do not include any additional information or use as an extension of the page limit.

Nominees can choose to submit up to two of the following supporting materials:

• A three-minute video, which could include footage of the program in action, team members talking about the program and its vision or interviews with students.
• One website URL – include web address in your PDF submission.
• 10 pages of supporting material in PDF format.

The relevance of all material must be made clear in the statement addressing the selection criteria. Supporting materials should be clearly titled and are the last component of the combined nomination file. Supporting materials (including websites) should remain accessible throughout the assessment process, beyond the submission date. Supporting materials should not require a login and password to access the material.

6. Photograph

An up-to-date, formal digital photograph of the individual nominee or team (group photo) must be submitted with each nomination, in line with the following specifications:

• Background colour:White
• Image definition parameters: Head and shouldersonly
• Image resolution: 300dpi at 10cm by 10cm or 1200px by1200px
• File Format:JPEG
• File size: 1MB - 10MB

If the nomination is successful, the submitted digital photographs will be used for publication purposes, including awards booklets, the Universities Australia website and other promotional materials. The photographs should therefore be of the best possible quality and include all members of a team nomination within the one photo.

Submission

Applications will be submitted to the Awards Portal by the AAUT Institutional Contact Officer between 2-13 September 2019.