Making a positive impact in student education
“To receive positive comments via the nomination forms was such an unexpected but wonderful surprise. Then to win the overall award was amazing!”
The annual Leeds Partnership Awards will once again highlight the achievements of staff and students who truly put into practice the agreement setting out our shared commitment to work together to support all aspects of our University community.
As entries open for this year’s coveted accolades, recipients of the 2023 awards have been talking about what winning has meant to them and their careers.
After receiving hundreds of inspirational applications, winners were announced during a gala celebration on campus in May. But the positive impact on their lives has been felt long after the champagne corks were popped!
Enthusiasm
Claire Gribben, a Teaching Assistant with the Sustainability Research Institute (School of Earth and Environment), was surprised and delighted to receive the Overall Partnership Award during the 2023 ceremony.
Claire, who was honoured for her outstanding support for students, said: “To receive positive comments via the nomination forms was such an unexpected but wonderful surprise. Then to win the overall award was amazing!
“As an alumna, but also an environmental campaigner in my spare time, I think my enthusiasm for all things sustainability contributed to winning the award. Students commented that I was genuinely passionate about the subject – that I came to lectures with a smile on my face and embodied positive energy. This was lovely to hear, but it also made me pause and reflect on how important my own authenticity is in my teaching role.
“Thinking about the poly-crisis associated with climate change and biodiversity loss can be overwhelming, but if things do get tough, I can now look back at the award and remind myself that we all have the power to positively shape the experience of a future generation of sustainability change makers. What a great role to have!”
Claire Gribben won the Overall Partnership Award in 2023
Honour
The Baines Family Tree eLearning resource was the Innovation Award winner. Created by nursing academics Lisa Forbes Grant and Kate Phillips, in collaboration with learning technologists Dr Gabriel Jones and Daniel Ward, the project involved creating a fictitious family tree to aid healthcare learning.
Students have been using information from members of the four-generation, 40-member Baines family to learn about key concepts in context, and to apply these in practice in simulations and assessments. The resource has helped transform the student experience across multiple programmes and modules in the School of Healthcare through its digital interface, ease of updating, adaptability and inclusivity.
The digital interface has also allowed for greater complexity than seen in previous paper-based case studies, with students gaining access to the second and third year of the family tree as they progress through the course. This has allowed them to get to know the family members and their interrelationships intimately over time, resulting in an improved sense of holistic and person-centred care, as reflected in the Leeds Partnership Award nominations.
Gabriel said: “We’re very proud of this award and the continuing student impact of the project.
“It’s also an honour to be recognised for the combined work of digital education and healthcare academic teams. We’re excited for the next steps in the Baines Family Tree journey.”
Kate said: “We’re very honoured to have received the Leeds Partnership Award for Innovation. The Baines Family Tree really represents how working together across disciplines, sharing our skills and expertise, can have a real impact on improving students’ authentic learning experience and ability to apply theory to practice.”
Lisa added: “Winning the award was a great opportunity to celebrate the development and implementation of the Baines Family Tree. We’re keen to place holistic, patient-centred care at the heart of the nursing curriculum. Winning the award has allowed us to continue our work alongside experts and students to achieve that.”
Baines Family Tree project members, who received the Innovation Award last year
Inclusive
Historically, the Leeds Partnership Awards have always looked to celebrate the achievements of our staff and students. In recent years, however, we’ve been realigning the awards to be inclusive of all those in our community who contribute to making sure our students love their time at Leeds.
Categories range from those highlighting our commitment to equality and inclusion, wellbeing and innovation to working with a global focus. An extra category for 2024 is the Professional Services Staff Member or Team of the Year.
There are also dedicated awards to celebrate inspirational teachers, supervisors and mentors, as well as outstanding students, academic personal tutors, postgraduate researchers and student academic reps, among others.
Nominate now!
Now is your chance to celebrate the amazing people who collaborate, support and enhance the Leeds community.
It only takes a few minutes to fill out the Leeds Partnership Awards form. You can nominate yourself, a colleague or a student for any of the 14 category awards up for grabs. Nominations close at midnight on 26 February and winners will be announced during a special ceremony on 30 April.
Please contact the LUU Academic Representation Team if you have any questions about the Leeds Partnership Awards or process.
You can also read the simple guide on what’s involved in making a Leeds Partnership Awards nomination.
Posted in: University newsStudent education