National Awards for the Teaching of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) in Higher Education in Scotland

The ICS Subject Centre offers an annual National Award for the Teaching of ICS in Higher Education in Scotland.

The aim is to recognise and reward HE ICS practitioners in Scotland who have made an outstanding contribution to the growth, development and enhancement of the teaching of the disciplines through their work and to draw their achievements to the attention of the ICS community as a whole.

One £5000 award is available for the academic year 2009-10. The award may only be used for personal and/or professional development in teaching and learning and aspects of pedagogy.

Eligibility

The awards are open to all full or part-time ICS HE practitioners currently teaching in HEIs or colleges of further and higher education in Scotland.

Individuals can nominate themselves or may be nominated by their peers or by a student registered at the candidate’s host institution.

Subject Centre staff or other members of the selection panel are not eligible for entry.

How to Apply

  1. A completed application form is required from or on behalf of each candidate.
  2. Where the application is being put forward on behalf of the candidate, the candidate must have given permission to be put forward for the award and agree to adhere to the associated terms, conditions and obligations.
  3. Two supporting statements from nominated referees who have a good knowledge of the candidate’s work are required:
    1. Where the application is a self-nomination, the first referee must be a colleague from within the candidate’s own department or institution. The second referee must be a colleague from another institution.
    2. Where the application is a nomination put forward on behalf of the candidate, the nominator should be the internal referee and should complete the nominated referee’s form in addition to the application/nomination form. The second referee must be an academic from another institution. Where a student is the nominator, the second referee must be an academic from another institution selected in consultation with the candidate.
  4. Before submitting the application, please ensure that you have sent a copy to each of the nominated referees, together with a copy of the ‘Nominated Referees Proforma’.
  5. All application/nomination forms and supporting references from Nominated Referees must be sent to ICS Subject Centre, Room 16G28, University of Ulster, Shore Road, Newtownabbey , BT37 0QB. Email submissions (heacademy-ics@ulster.ac.uk) are acceptable.

Closing date for applications: Friday 8 January 2010.

UPDATE: Due to current harsh weather conditions, we have decided to extend the closing date for appliactions until Friday 23rd January 2010.

Please note:

  • No additional materials or CVs should be submitted, nor will such materials be considered.
  • The Subject Centre will NOT write to your Nominated Referees on your behalf. Please ensure that they understand this, and forward their supporting statements, using the ‘Nominated Referees Proforma', to the Subject Centre by the closing date.

Adjudication of Submissions

All applications will be assessed by an Evaluation Panel comprising Subject Centre Staff and their nominated representatives.

The decisions of this Panel will be final, and the award winners will be announced on Friday 30 January 2010 by email.

In reaching their decisions, the Panel will assess the extent to which applicants have contributed to the growth, development or enhancement of ICS teaching and student learning through their work in national, regional or institutional contexts. Particular attention will be paid by the Panel to the ways in which applicants have shown evidence of:

  • success in advancing the teaching and learning of the subject, whether in the classroom or as part of departmental, regional or national initiatives;
  • contributing to the wider growth and development of the discipline in higher education;
  • a track record or clear potential to influence or help others in the ICS community in relation to the research and development of teaching and learning;
  • the distinctiveness of the applicant's contribution to the development of teaching and learning in the discipline.

All applications and supporting statements by Nominated Referees will be treated as confidential to members of the Evaluation Panel.

Obligations of Award Winners

Award winners will be required to support the work of the Subject Centre in the following ways:

  1. by providing a brief account of their work, for publication on the Subject Centre website.
  2. by contributing to the Subject Centre's 11th annual conference and to one other Subject Centre activity such as a national seminar or workshop.

In accordance with auditing procedures, award winners will be required to demonstrate that the funds awarded have been used for educational purposes; for example, the purchase of books and equipment, or travel and other costs associated with teaching, research and professional activities. A summary statement (one page) of expenditure must be submitted to the Subject Centre within one year of the receipt of the £5,000 award.

A transfer of funds will normally be made within two months of notification of the winners to a designated account within the successful applicant's host institution.

Enquiries

If you have any queries about the awards, please email heacademy-ics@ulster.ac.uk

Downloadable Forms