Issues of Teaching and Learning, 12(1)

Recognising and rewarding teaching excellence

For the past few years, a small number of awards for teaching excellence (13 in 2005), known as the Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) have been made annually. This year they will be replaced by the Carrick Awards for Australian University Teaching (CAAUT) totalling 251 awards (see http://www.carrickinstitute.edu.au).

These awards include 26 Awards for Teaching Excellence ($25,000) and the Prime Minister’s Award for the Australian University Teacher of the Year ($50,000 and a medal). The 27 winners will be chosen from across eight categories. A total of 14 Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning ($25,000) will be made across seven categories.

In addition to these awards that closely align with the previous awards, although increased in number, there will be 210 Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning ($10,000 each). The Carrick Institute will also periodically award a Career Achievement Award to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to learning and teaching.

At UWA we have the Excellence in Teaching Awards, a student initiated scheme that is jointly managed with the University and which recognises excellent teachers and supervisors in a range of categories. In this edition of ITL we profile UWA’s two finalists in the institutional awards categories of the 2005 AAUT, hear staff and student perspectives on the UWA awards, and identify some expectations and implications of teaching awards.

What's Inside ITL

The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) invites reader response to its publication ITL. Responses advancing the scholarly debate of issues raised will be published in the Web version of that issue.