Our Excellence in Education Awards 2023 winners

The winners of our Excellence in Education Awards 2023 were announced at our Celebrating Excellence in Education event hosted by Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Madeline Eacott.

Professor Eacott said: “A key element of the excellence of our education here at Essex is our partnership working with our students: we really do put student success at the heart of our thinking.

“Although we can formally recognise only a relatively few individuals and for their great work through these awards, I hope that through this event we can celebrate and thank the great many people who contribute to our educational excellence though their work every day.

“This ranges from highly experienced educators who share their expertise so generously with colleagues, to those at the very beginning of their academic careers who as Graduate Laboratory Assistants or Assistant Lecturers have helped shape the experience of those who follow in their footsteps.

“It also includes the educators who work beyond the lecture hall, or seminar room, for example, the personal tutors, the laboratory technicians, those who support our students in developing their skills in the Skills for Success team, those in the Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity Service, in the Library, in Digital Innovation and Technology Services, and beyond.”

Education Developer and Lead of the Excellence in Education Awards Erin Carman said: “It is fantastic to have received so many applications to the 2023 round of the Awards with so many being of a high calibre and detailing the great work that goes on across the University. Congratulations to all of our winners, and we look forward to sharing details of the application round for the 2024 awards in due course.”

The winners

Excellent Educator Awards

Project title: ‘We’re just getting started: The journey to make Essex a truly entrepreneurial University’

The Essex Start Ups Team (Lauren Graeve, John Stenhouse, Alexa Gordon, Emily Osborne, Sally Dixon, Rebecca Slegg, Wiktoria Strozik, James Cracknell and Magdalena Mahdy)

Project title: ‘Taking an Academic Coaching Approach to Students as Active Participants in their own Learning’

The Essex Pathways Team (Ritta Husted, Kalina Stamenova, Maurice Abbott, Amanda Morris, Brendan Elsted, Haji Yakubu, Gemma Cowling-Hearn, Maja Pulic, Radu-Dragomir Manac, Fowad Murtaza, Alex Trask, Chris Walklett and Raynee Gutting)

Project title: ‘CSEE Project Open Day – A platform for demonstrating students’ innovation, soft skills, and creativity through direct engagement with employers and industry’

School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering team (Daniel Gobbitt, Alannah Moody, Kayleigh Hall, Jess Apter, Irene Smith, Vishuu Mohan, Hani Hagras, Marie Scott, Louis Clift, Colin Hughes and Joshua Raistrick)

Excellent Assistant Lecturer and Graduate Laboratory Assistant Award

Project title: Proactively supporting sociology students

EJ-Francis Caris-Hamer, Norman Riley and Yemisi Laura Sloane

Excellence in Education Leadership Award

‘Resilient and transformative education leadership amidst the phenomenal increase in student numbers: Examples of challenges faced, initiatives taken and the impact on Essex Business School Southend’

Niraj Kumar – Essex Business School

Project title: ‘Consistently aiming to improve the student experience with an emphasis on student support / Contribution to innovative approaches to the student learning experience within Sociology’

Illana Flora - Study Support Manager in Department of Sociology