Vice-Chancellor's message
The University firmly believes that it is important to shine a light on the contributions made to student learning by both academic and professional staff, and to reward the University’s highest achievers in teaching, support of teaching, and supervisory practices.
Each year we formally acknowledge our highest achieving educators through the Commendations for the Enhancement of and Innovation in Student Learning and the Stephen Cole the Elder Awards for Excellence.
Recipients of these awards were selected based on their scholarly reflective approach, and evidence that their impact on student learning goes beyond student feedback scores. In many cases, their impact has been felt well beyond their classroom; it reaches across schools, disciplines, and more widely amongst colleagues.
I am pleased to advise the 2025 Commendations for the Enhancement of and Innovation in Student Learning were awarded at last Thursday’s Celebration of Learning and Teaching event to:
- Team: Children's University - HDR Program. Team members: Dr Agnes Arthur (HMS), Alice Wilson (DRI), Larry Fazzalari (DRI), Emma Scott (DEE), and Alys Jackson (DEE) Category: Approaches to teaching and/or the support of learning that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
- Team: Associate Professor Samantha Schulz and Stefanija Rozitis (ABLE) Category: Approaches to teaching and/or the support of learning that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
- Dr Mark Giancaspro (ABLE) Category: Innovations in assessment and feedback
- Dr Kameljeet Kaur (ABLE) Category: Approaches to teaching and/or the support of learning that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
- Dr Elpitha (Peta) Spyrou (ABLE) Category: Approaches to teaching and/or the support of learning that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
- Dr Luis Toronjo-Urquiza (SET) Category: Developing graduate employability through work-integrated-learning (WIL)
Stephen Cole the Elder Awards for Excellence were presented to:
- Jill Bauer (SET) Category: Excellence in Teaching and Support for Learning
- Professor Peng Shi (SET) Category: Excellence in HDR Supervisory Practice
I congratulate the worthy recipients of our 2025 university-wide teaching awards, and all of our colleagues who contribute to the high quality of teaching at our fine university.
Professor Peter Høj AC
Vice-Chancellor and President