UKCGE launches National Supervisor Award with Times Higher Education
UKCGE launches National Supervisor Award with Times Higher Education
The Council is delighted to support the new category of “Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year” Award as part of the annual Times Higher Education University Awards.
The origin of the award came from discussions at the inaugural Residential Meeting of the Deans and Directors of Graduate Schools Network in February 2015, where members considered that a national award to promote, recognise and reward excellent and inspirational research supervision would contribute to best practice in supervisor development and build on institutional level awards.
Following consultation with membership on the criteria, the Council submitted a proposal to THE for the award to be included in the Annual University Awards. In recognising the value of excellent and inspirational research supervision, THE have introduced the new award to be included in their annual awards from 2016.
Supportive, Stimulating and Inspirational Supervision
This award will be given to the individual who has created the most supportive, stimulating and inspirational research environment for PhD students. Submissions will be accepted from students, supervisors themselves, or their colleagues, but student testimonies must be included.
Judges will be looking for a supervisor who:
- demonstrates enthusiasm for the role, is flexible in regard to supervision sessions, and is prepared to go the extra mile to help navigate students through difficulties, be they academic or otherwise
- challenges students while encouraging them to contribute something substantial to their specific area of academic discourse
- provides additional support and facilities to give greater scope to the PhD, or to enable it to be completed early
- is exceptionally supportive through the planning for assessments and the PhD viva
- offers constructive employment and career advice post-graduation
Recognising “Unsung Heroes”
Dr Darren Van Laar, the Chair of the network and Director of the University of Portsmouth’s Graduate School said
“This award is for those unsung heroes who are able to encourage their students to go on to achieve great things, to help the students overcome obstacles in their research and perhaps their life. It is for those supervisors who go above and beyond the call of duty to provide fantastic, inspirational leadership to their students and often to other supervisors.
This award is not just about identifying a ‘most inspirational’ supervisor, but also to identify great supervisory practices, to help publicise inspirational stories and to celebrate those individuals, their colleagues and their universities and research groups who help put them there.”
Nominations for this award are now open and further information can be found at www.the-awards.co.uk
UPDATE
The nominations have now been announced. You can see who’s made the shortlist here.
Links
Times Higher Education Awards
Deans and Directors (of Graduate Schools) Network
