About the Awards

The overriding aim of the RMIT University Teaching Awards in 2001 is to recognise, reward and celebrate good teaching practice at RMIT University. Recipients of the Awards are intended to be exemplars of the University's Teaching & Learning Strategy, and/or Research & Development Strategy, in action.

The scheme makes an important contribution to a culture valuing student-centred and scholarly teaching practice. The experiences and lessons of good teaching can be shared within and across Faculties with appropriate dissemination and celebration activities.

The scheme is open to both individuals and teams. The Teaching Awards selection process relies on qualitative evidence - namely descriptions of the individual's or team's teaching practices from different perspectives, including students. These descriptions can together provide a rich picture of practice - both holistic if the evidence is corroborative and multidimensional if offering fresh, different insights.

The scheme relies initially on faculty based processes for reviewing nominees' suitability and acknowledging all nominees' achievements via an appropriate faculty awards system (such as a Dean's Award). Each faculty then subsequently supports a small number of suitable nominees into the University level selection process. After review of these selected nominees, the University selection panels make recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor on University level Award recipients.

All nominees to the University level of the scheme will receive a framed certificate of achievement. In addition, each recipient of an University level Award receives a grant of $2500. The grants are paid to the recipient's department/school and are available for use by the recipient for professional or educational development.

Who manages the Awards scheme in 2001?

At a University level the scheme is administered by the Quality Unit on behalf of the Vice Chancellor's Executive (VCE). The Professional Development Sub-Committee of the Teaching and Learning Strategy Committee (2001 Chair: Associate Professor Grace Lynch), with input and advice from the Research Graduate Studies Committee (2001 Chair: Professor Robin Usher) is maintained as the Awards steering group. The steering group is responsible for providing advice on the scheme and for assisting in the development and improvement of the Awards.

Each faculty also has one or two contact people (Faculty Coordinators) who manage and coordinate the faculty based processes, with advice and support from the University level.

Support from Corporate Affairs and faculties, is also sought for scheme promotion, support of nominees and dissemination of good practice, in order to enhance both the recognition and celebration of good teaching practice and the marketing of RMIT.