Recognising our people 2026 Education Excellence Winners

Dr Lesley Hemphill is a Lecturer in Sustainability and Course Director for the BSc Honours Real Estate programme at Ulster University, whose commitment to professionally authentic, industry-connected education has significantly enhanced the student learning experience.

Working in close collaboration with industry partners, Lesley co-led a redesign of the SUR340 Professional Practice module that embedded authentic assessment at its heart. The redesign gave students the opportunity to develop core competencies in the practical measurement of vacant office buildings alongside digital social media content creation for real estate marketing,  skills directly aligned with the demands of professional practice.

By incorporating guest lecturer input, fostering meaningful industry relationships, and championing an active learning approach, Lesley has ensured that students graduate with not only the technical skills, but the confidence and professional awareness needed to make an immediate and positive contribution to the workplace.

Dr Lay Cheng (Jasmine) Lim is Director of the MSc Real Estate programme at Ulster University and a Chartered Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, whose professional expertise and industry insight have been instrumental in shaping an outstanding model of authentic, practice-led education.

Working in close collaboration with industry partners, Jasmine co-led a redesign of the SUR340 Professional Practice module that replaced traditional assessment with genuine professional challenges. Students developed hands-on competencies in the physical measurement of vacant office buildings and digital social media content creation for real estate marketing, gaining experience that directly mirrors the skills demanded of graduates entering the profession.

By connecting students with industry through guest lectures and live assessment briefs, and by embedding digital technology throughout the module, Jasmine has helped create a learning environment in which students develop both the technical capability and the confidence to thrive in professional practice.

Dr Deborah Lowry, Deputy Head of Department and Learning, Teaching and Quality Director at Ulster University's School of Pharmacy, is reshaping how pharmacokinetics is taught within the MPharm programme by replacing passive learning with an engaging, evidence-informed model of active clinical reasoning. Her initiative introduces educational escape rooms that require students to apply complex pharmacokinetic principles in authentic, face-to-face scenarios that mirror professional decision-making. Grounded in scholarship and co-created with students, Deborah's approach empowers learners as partners and embeds innovation within the curriculum.

While still in an early stage of implementation and refinement, the impact is already clear. Students report greater confidence, deeper conceptual understanding, and stronger connections between theory and practice. Peer learning, structured reflection, and lecturer guidance ensure academic rigour while fostering a safe, collaborative learning environment. Deborah's work has shifted perceptions of pharmacokinetics from abstract theory to applied clinical reasoning and has sparked interest among colleagues across disciplines.

That this project has achieved so much at such an early stage exemplifies how thoughtful, student-centred enhancement can grow into sustainable excellence in learning and teaching at Ulster and beyond.

Dr Kingston Rajiah is a lecturer in the School of Pharmacy. With a strong commitment to inclusive, evidence-informed teaching, Kingston consistently seeks innovative ways to reduce barriers to learning and improve the student experience.

His introduction of AI-assisted podcast summaries into the MPharm programme has transformed how pharmacy students engage with their studies. Designed to make learning more flexible and accessible, the podcasts enable students to revisit key concepts in their own time and at their own pace. Feedback has been consistently positive, with students valuing the clarity and convenience the resource brings to their learning.

The initiative has been particularly impactful for students with diverse learning needs, including those with dyslexia and attention difficulties, offering an auditory alternative that supports engagement and builds confidence. Its influence has already extended beyond pharmacy, colleagues across disciplines have recognised the potential of the approach and are adapting it for their own programmes.

Grounded in scholarly practice and driven by a genuine commitment to equity in education, Kingston's work exemplifies how thoughtful, purposeful use of technology can strengthen engagement, remove barriers, and create a more inclusive academic community.

Dr Phil Ramsey is a Lecturer in the School of Communication and Media whose commitment to community-engaged, professionally authentic education has significantly enhanced the civic impact of the MSc Communication and Public Relations programme.

Since 2017, Phil has developed and delivered a series of live, real-world Public Relations assessment briefs in partnership with a range of external community organisations. Working in conjunction with the Science Shop, students on the Masters programme have had the opportunity to design and deliver genuine Public Relations campaigns for organisations including The Fostering Network and Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, gaining professional experience that no simulated brief could replicate.

Now in its eighth year, the initiative has generated consistent and meaningful value on all sides. Students report greater confidence and a deeper understanding of how their skills translate into professional practice, while partner organisations have benefited from fresh perspectives and creative input that has made a tangible difference to their communications work.

Phil's sustained commitment to this model of civic partnership represents an outstanding example of how professionally grounded, community-connected education can enrich student learning and extend the reach and purpose of the university beyond its walls.

Dr Caroline Crawford is a Lecturer in Nursing at Ulster University's School of Nursing and Paramedic Science, whose clinical background spans theatre, recovery, and anaesthetic nursing, alongside specialist experience as a Clinical Research Nurse coordinating drug trials across stroke, cardiology, and respiratory diseases. She brings this wealth of professional experience into her teaching, grounding her approach in the realities of clinical practice.

Recognising that written communication is a critical and often underdeveloped skill in nursing education, Caroline co-designed and led the Write Like A Nurse initiative – an innovative programme embedded within the undergraduate nursing degree that develops students' clinical and academic writing skills progressively throughout their studies.

Evaluated through both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from students and educators, the initiative has made a demonstrable difference. Students report significantly improved written communication skills, and a stronger sense of how their academic work connects to and prepares them for clinical practice, a meaningful bridge between the lecture theatre and the ward.

At an early stage of her academic career, Caroline has already demonstrated the hallmarks of an exceptional educator, clinically grounded, evidence-informed, and deeply committed to ensuring every student develops the skills and confidence they need to thrive as a nursing professional.

Dr Jessica Bates is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the School of Education, whose contribution to learning, teaching and scholarly leadership has been sustained, far-reaching and genuinely transformational.

Her leadership of the Library and Information Management programme has been exceptional. By strategically moving to fully online delivery, Jessica doubled programme enrolments, expanded access, and created an international learning community. Students and employers consistently report significant professional growth, increased confidence, and rapid career progression as a direct result of her teaching and programme design.

Jessica's influence extends beyond her own programme. Recognised through national awards for excellence in technology-enhanced learning, she shapes the discipline at sector level through her role on successive QAA Subject Benchmark Reviews. Colleagues across the institution highlight her clear guidance, influential practice, and generous support, which have shaped Ulster's approaches to digital pedagogy, accessibility, and inclusive curriculum design.

Her commitment to socially purposeful education runs throughout her work — from her research into information, social inclusion, and community engagement, to her role as the formal link between Ulster University and Rathlin Island, fostering research and teaching connections with Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island.

Her sustained influence, scholarly leadership and commitment to excellence generate meaningful change for students, staff and the wider profession.

Dr Esther McGuinness is Head of School of Law at Ulster University, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a qualified mediator whose contribution to learning and teaching has been sustained, values-led, and transformational at both institutional and sector level.

Over more than twenty-five years, Esther has fundamentally reshaped how legal education is conceived and experienced at Ulster. As a founding member and Co-Director of the multi-award winning Ulster University Law Clinic and the Social Justice Hub and Foyle Family Justice Centre, she has embedded inclusive, active, and community-engaged learning as core elements of the student experience — not as peripheral additions, but as defining features of how law is taught at Ulster.

The reach and legacy of her work extends well beyond the institution. It has enhanced access to justice for communities, improved student confidence, wellbeing, and employability, and positioned Ulster as a recognised leader in justice-oriented, research-informed legal education nationally and internationally.

This combination of sustained leadership, scholarly practice, and civic impact represents a contribution of rare and enduring significance to legal education at Ulster and beyond.

The Centre for Curriculum Enhancement and Approval (CCEA) has led a major transformation of Ulster University’s curriculum approval and enhancement processes, aligning them with key institutional priorities, sector expectations, and regulatory requirements. Guided by the University’s People, Place and Partnership strategy and the Learning, Teaching and Student Experience (LTSE) Principles and Qualities, CCEA embedded a new enhancement‑led, risk‑based approach supported by Continuous Assurance of Quality Enhancement (CAQE) data.

The impact has been clear: early leavers, non‑continuation, and progression have all improved; policy complexity has been reduced from 260 documents to five; and re‑approval timelines are now fully compliant, eliminating previous delays. Enhanced collaboration with the Academic Planning and Portfolio Development Group (PDG) ensures new programmes align with strategic growth priorities.

CCEA’s work demonstrates that trust, cross‑university collaboration, and a comprehensive understanding of the curriculum ecosystem are critical to delivering timely, high‑quality curriculum change that benefits students and staff.

Team members:

• Roisin Curran (Lead)
• Rita Dillon
• Tracy Galvin
• Andrea Garland
• Kieran Higgins
• Domenico Lo Nigro
• Karen McCafferty
• Helen McFall
• Mark McGahon
• Colette Murphy
• Lorraine Roos
• Lisa Taggart
• Lisa Verner

Over the past decade, a collaborative team from the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Ulster University has transformed international learning opportunities for students through sustained, team-based innovation that has grown in ambition, scale and impact.

Beginning with immersive participation at the Berlin Film Festival and evolving into the interdisciplinary Mumbai Virtual Production Summer School, the team has enabled students — particularly those from widening participation backgrounds — to engage directly with global screen industries, technologies and networks that would otherwise remain out of reach. A distinctive model combining academic expertise, industry partnerships, student pastoral care and curriculum design has made complex international experiences accessible, inclusive and academically meaningful.

The impact has been measurable and wide-ranging. Students have developed enhanced confidence, employability and global citizenship, alongside cutting-edge virtual production skills increasingly sought by the screen industries. By positioning students as active partners through peer mentorship and ambassador roles, the project has also fostered belonging, resilience and leadership within the student community. Ulster's reputation as a trusted international partner has grown correspondingly, evidenced through Irish Government funding and long-term global collaborations.

Team members:

• Victoria McCollum (Lead)
• Laura Aguiar
• Murat Akser
• Ciara Shufflebottom
• Caragh McCloskey

The Wellbeing and Belonging Leadership Network has embedded wellbeing and belonging into the fabric of Ulster University's pedagogical practice, driven by authentic partnership.

At the heart of the Network is a commitment to co-creation. Spanning all campuses, faculties, schools and departments, the Network brings together 52 staff members working in partnership with Ulster University Students' Union officers and 30 student partners, placing students as equal agents in shaping meaningful change across the institution. This shared mission has generated a golden thread running through Ulster's curricula, actively fostering wellbeing, belonging, engagement and student success.

The Network has delivered 11 projects, each grounded in authentic student voices and producing practical resources and guidance for staff. All outputs are captured in a custom-built, staff-facing Practice Hub and a public-facing website, with many projects now embedded within the Student Success Centre and the Staff Resources for Student Induction Toolkit — ensuring their impact is lasting and widely accessible.

Through the scale of its reach, the depth of its partnerships, and the tangible resources it has produced, the Wellbeing and Belonging Leadership Network exemplifies what genuine collaboration between staff and students can achieve for the culture of learning and teaching at Ulster.

Team members

• Colette Murphy (Lead)
• Michaela Keenan (Deputy Lead)
• Amanda Mulholland
• Claire Drummond
• Domenico Lo Nigro
• Sarah Reynolds
• Leanne Doherty
• Bob Cameron
• Christine Wightman
• Adrian Hickey
• Alison Yeates
• Cathy Moore
• Maria McDevitt (Placement Student)
• Oscar Kelly (UUSU)
• Emily Roberts (Student)