UEA team recognised for teaching excellence at prestigious Advance HE 2025 awards
By: Communications
The winners of this year’s higher education's prestigious UK teaching excellence awards were announced today (7 August) by Advance HE, with a double success for UEA as staff and students were recognised for their outstanding contributions.
The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 25 September in Bristol, hosted by Alistair Jarvis, the incoming Advance HE Chief Executive.
2025 National Teaching Fellows
Prof Kelly Edmunds (shown above), Deputy Director of Learning and Teaching for the School of Biological Sciences, has been recognised as one of 61 new National Teaching Fellows.
The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) celebrates and recognises individuals who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession in UK higher education.
Prof Edmunds said: “Being named as one of this year's National Teaching Fellows is a humbling recognition of the work I've been championing to make higher education more connected, inclusive and responsive to student needs. This award reflects the power of collaboration and striving to ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive, not just survive.
“My work is rooted in the belief that each student deserves to feel like they belong. Whether through co-created learning, inclusive teaching practices or sector-wide collaboration, I strive to create spaces where students and educators alike can flourish.”
This year's cohort represents the largest number of National Teaching Fellows ever awarded, reflecting the exceptional quality of teaching talent across the sector, as evidenced by the positive responses about teaching in the 2025 Student Academic Experience Survey and National Student Survey.
2025 Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence
The UEA team behind the ‘Bridge to Success’ project has received the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE).
This award recognises and rewards collaborative work that has had a demonstrable impact on teaching and learning, and highlights the key role of teamwork in UK higher education.
The Bridge to Success project is a student-staff collaboration that has transformed the transition into higher education through an inclusive, co-created pre-arrival module, now adopted across UEA and beyond.
By combining digital innovation, student voice and cross-disciplinary expertise, the Bridge to Success team has created a scalable model for fostering belonging and preparedness from day one of university life.
The project team includes the following staff: Dr Becky Lewis, Prof Kelly Edmunds, Dr Carl Harrington, Dr Helen Leggett, Rebecca Anderson, Dr Ellen Bell, Dr Laura Wagstaff and Dr Stephanie Jong. Former UEA students Joseph (Joey) Hunt, Jade Howard and Shania Varshani were also central to the project.
Prof Edmunds said: “This award celebrates the power of collaboration between staff, students and disciplines, to transform the student experience. Our pre-arrival module was co-created with students, for students, and it’s now helping thousands feel prepared, connected, and confident as they begin their university journey.”
Of these 17 award-winning teams, each demonstrated innovative approaches to collaborative teaching that have transformed student experiences and outcomes.
If you are looking to start university in September 2025 and still thinking about your options, consider joining a UK Top 25 university this September through Clearing.
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