1413 Teaching Excellence Awards
The 1413 Teaching Excellence Awards ceremony is an inspirational annual celebration that takes place in April.
It is a collaboration between the University of St Andrews and the University of St Andrews Students’ Association and provides an opportunity to formally celebrate the exceptional teaching provided within the University as nominated by Heads of School or by the students they teach.
The prestigious awards celebrate community, collegiality and a continuous commitment to exceptional standards of innovative teaching that enhance student experience. It is an opportunity to recognise the exceptional teaching staff who have made significant contributions to the teaching experience at the University of St Andrews that exceed expectations.
The University Teaching Excellence Awards are presented by the University Principal and recognise academic staff who make a significant contribution to excellence in teaching across the University.
Each Head of School is invited to nominate one member of their undergraduate or PGT level academic staff who is recognised as having made an outstanding contribution to excellence in teaching. A Judging panel decide on four award winners who will be shown to have demonstrated innovative commitment to improve teaching and enhance the student learning experience in the current academic year.
The University awards mainly focus on excellence in:
- Curriculum design Innovation
- Student feedback
- Collegiality
In addition to these awards the 1413 Teaching Excellence Awards ceremony recognises and celebrates the academic achievements of the colleagues who have completed the STARS HE/HEA fellowships and PGCAPS Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP).
The previous years’ winners of the Teaching Excellence Awards can be found on the University or .
Nominations for the 1413 Teaching Excellence Awards 2026 are now open. The closing date for nominations is 23 February 2026.
1413 Teaching Excellence Awards 2026
n Tuesday 21 April 2026 we held the 1413 Teaching Excellence Awards, an annual celebration recognising outstanding contributions to learning and teaching across the University community for the 2025–2026 academic year.
This year’s event honoured exceptional colleagues from across four schools whose dedication, innovation and impact continue to enrich the student experience. Their commitment to inclusive, engaging and forward-thinking teaching exemplifies the highest standards of academic excellence and inspires our community to learn, grow and succeed.
The awards were presented by the Principal. The 2026 winners are:
- Dr Katherina Hunfeld, School of International Relations
- Dr Dan Lucas, School of Mathematics and Statistics
- Dr Bruce Sinclair, School of Physics and Astronomy
- Dr Anna Smith, School of Psychology and Neuroscience