Ulster University
Excellence Awards
Celebrating collaboration in business and research. The Awards celebrate the positive impact our students and academic staff are having on societies and economies, both locally and internationally.
The Ulster University Excellence Awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday 8 May 2019 at St Anne’s Cathedral.
About the awards
The Ulster University Excellence Awards are our annual celebration and recognition of outstanding partnerships that have made a significant contribution or impact on our societies and economies, both locally and internationally.
The awards seek to recognise and reward placement partnerships that have enriched the personal and professional development of our students and cutting-edge collaborations between our academics and researchers with external stakeholders.
This year we have a number of award categories, and welcome nominations from staff, students and business partners.
Awards Categories
There are 5 overall categories – with placement and research awards within each:
- Public Sector Partnership
- Business Partnership (over 50 employees)
- Business Partnership (SME - over 50 employees)
- Global Partnership
- Ulster University Partnership of the Year
Please use the additional tabs to select your category and nominate.
Closing date: 8 February 2019
Public Sector Partnership
Placement Partnership
Nominations for this award are only open to employers of placement students at Ulster University.
Employers will be asked to describe how placement students are introduced to the business and to outline the support and feedback provided during the experience. In particular, judges will be interested to know what was new and exceptional about the 2017-18 Ulster student experience within your organisation.
Each nomination will be judged according to the following criteria, in your submission you MUST refer to each of the following:
- Induction
- Placement Support
- Placement goals and objectives
- Student assessment, monitoring and feedback
- What was new and exceptional about the 2017-18 Ulster student experience.
Research Partnership
Nominations for this award are only open to academics, researchers and PhD students at Ulster University.
Ulster University Staff will be asked to demonstrate how a two-way collaboration has created knowledge in order to solve a particular problem or issue. This will be in the form of a research project, PhD study, contract research, knowledge exchange, consultancy assignment, or a combination of these.
Each nomination will be judged according to set criteria, in your submission you MUST refer to each of the following:
- Describe the nature of the research partnership, indicating the type of project and the type of funding used to support the activity.
- Outline the background to the research partnership and the partnership aims, providing a description of the problem that you were trying to solve.
- Provide detail on the key achievements of the partnership including the impact of Ulster University expertise on the partner organisation and/or the specific project.
- Describe the unique dynamic of this partnership and the overall impact of the contribution made by both partners.
You may wish to include supporting evidence including case studies, testimonials, media coverage etc.
Business Partnership (Over 50 Employees)
Placement Partnership
Nominations for this award are only open to employers of placement students at Ulster University.
Employers will be asked to describe how placement students are introduced to the business and to outline the support and feedback provided during the experience. In particular, judges will be interested to know what was new and exceptional about the 2017-18 Ulster student experience within your organisation.
Each nomination will be judged according to set criteria, in your submission you MUST refer to each of the following:
- Induction
- Placement Support
- Placement goals and objectives
- Student assessment, monitoring and feedback
- What was new and exceptional about the 2017-18 Ulster student experience
Research Partnership
Nominations for this award are only open to academics, researchers and PhD students at Ulster University.
Ulster University Staff will be asked to demonstrate how a two-way collaboration has created knowledge in order to solve a particular problem or issue. This will be in the form of a research project, PhD study, contract research, knowledge exchange, consultancy assignment, or a combination of these.
Each nomination will be judged according to set criteria, in your submission you MUST refer to each of the following:
- Describe the nature of the research partnership, indicating the type of project and the type of funding used to support the activity.
- Outline the background to the research partnership and the partnership aims, providing a description of the problem that you were trying to solve.
- Provide detail on the key achievements of the partnership including the impact of Ulster University expertise on the partner organisation and/or the specific project.
- Describe the unique dynamic of this partnership and the overall impact of the contribution made by both partners.
You may wish to include supporting evidence including case studies, testimonials, media coverage etc.
Business Partnership (SME - Under 50 Employees)
Placement Partnership
Nominations for this award are only open to employers of placement students at Ulster University.
Employers will be asked to describe how placement students are introduced to the business and to outline the support and feedback provided during the experience. In particular, judges will be interested to know what was new and exceptional about the 2017-18 Ulster student experience within your organisation.
In your submission you MUST make reference to how you, as a small or micro enterprise, approached each of the following criteria:
- Introduction to the business
- Placement goals and objectives
- What was new and exceptional about the 2017-18 Ulster student experience
Research Partnership
Nominations for this award are only open to academics, researchers and PhD students at Ulster University.
Ulster University Staff will be asked to demonstrate how a two-way collaboration has created knowledge in order to solve a particular problem or issue. This will be in the form of a research project, PhD study, contract research, knowledge exchange, consultancy assignment, or a combination of these.
Each nomination will be judged according to set criteria, in your submission you MUST refer to each of the following:
- Describe the nature of the research partnership, indicating the type of project and the type of funding used to support the activity.
- Outline the background to the research partnership and the partnership aims, providing a description of the problem that you were trying to solve.
- Provide detail on the key achievements of the partnership including the impact of Ulster University expertise on the partner organisation and/or the specific project.
- Describe the unique dynamic of this partnership and the overall impact of the contribution made by both partners.
You may wish to include supporting evidence including case studies, testimonials, media coverage etc.
Global Partnership
Placement Partnership
Nominations for this award are only open to employers of placement students at Ulster University.
Employers will be asked to describe how placement students are introduced to the business and to outline the support and feedback provided during the experience. In particular, judges will be interested to know what was new and exceptional about the 2017-18 Ulster student experience within your organisation.
Please state below why your organisation should win an award for recognition of your contribution to international work-based and placement learning at Ulster University (250 words maximum). In your submission you must refer to each of the following:
- Engagement with the University (example activity undertaken as a placement provider).
- Orientation and ongoing mentoring support provided to Ulster students.
- How Ulster students were helped to understand and compare the work culture overseas through the international experience.
Research Partnership
Nominations for this award are only open to academics, researchers and PhD students at Ulster University.
Ulster University Staff will be asked to demonstrate how a two-way collaboration has created knowledge in order to solve a particular problem or issue. This will be in the form of a research project, PhD study, contract research, knowledge exchange, consultancy assignment, or a combination of these.
Each nomination will be judged according to set criteria, in your submission you MUST refer to each of the following:
- Describe the nature of the research partnership, indicating the type of project and the type of funding used to support the activity.
- Outline the background to the research partnership and the partnership aims, providing a description of the problem that you were trying to solve.
- Provide detail on the key achievements of the partnership including the impact of Ulster University expertise on the partner organisation and/or the specific project.
- Describe the unique dynamic of this partnership and the overall impact of the contribution made by both partners.
You may wish to include supporting evidence including case studies, testimonials, media coverage etc.
Ulster University Partnership of the Year
Placement Partnership - staff nomination
Nominations for this awards are open to staff only.
Ulster University staff will be asked to state how the nominated employer has made a contribution to student knowledge and skills development. It will be important to highlight how the support given in the workplace helps students integrate and contribute to a successful organisation.
Each nomination will be judged according to set criteria, in your submission you MUST refer to each of the following:
- Level of engagement with the University (length of time as a placement partner, other activity undertaken as a placement provider)
- Quality of the placement experience (impact on teaching and learning)
- Management and organisation of each placement
- Mentoring and support offered to each student
Placement Partnership - student nomination
Nominations for this awards are open to students only.
Ulster University students will be asked to state how the nominated employer has made a contribution to student knowledge and skills development. It will be important to highlight how the support given in the workplace helps students integrate and contribute to a successful organisation.
Please state why the organisation nominated should win an award for recognition of their contribution to your work-based and placement learning at University of Ulster (250 words maximum). In your submission you MUST refer to each of the following:
- Management and organisation of your placement
- Training and development provided to you
- Mentoring and support provided during placement (e.g. Your induction or ongoing developmental appraisal)
- Feeling part of the organisation
Research Partnership
Nominations for this award are only open to academics, researchers and PhD students at Ulster University.
There are no specific nomination details for this category. One overall winner from the four categories listed above will be selected as the Ulster University Research Partnership of the Year.
Rules and Regulations
Rules and regulations – placement awards
- The judges' decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
- Placements or internships will have been completed by a student / recent graduate of the University during the 12 months leading up to 4 February 2019.
- Placements completed within the University are not eligible.
- Ulster students currently on industrial placement for the 2018 /19 academic year are not eligible to submit a nomination.
- Each member of University staff is permitted to nominate for any category only ONCE.
- In the first instance, information provided is strictly confidential, however winners will agree to take part in publicity for the Awards.
- Nominations within the up to 50 employee’s categories must be "autonomous” employers, i.e. they must be independent with no participation in other enterprises and no enterprise has a participation in the business.
Rules and regulations - research awards
- The judges' decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
- Research projects will be ongoing or will have been completed during the 12 months leading up to 4 February 2019.
- PhD research students are permitted to enter, along with academics and researchers employed at Ulster University.
- Each member of University staff is permitted to nominate for any category only ONCE.
- In the first instance, information provided is strictly confidential, however winners will agree to take part in publicity for the Awards.