Each year, King’s College London pauses its hectic academic calendar to spotlight a different kind of achievement: the unsung, the innovative and the quietly transformative. The King’s Education Awards, now a flagship fixture in the university’s calendar, recognize the staff and students who are reshaping what teaching, learning and support look like in a modern research-intensive institution.
From pioneering digital pedagogy to inclusive classroom practice and outstanding student partnership, the awards celebrate initiatives that go beyond meeting standards to redefining them.Nominated by members of the King’s community and judged against a framework of educational excellence, the winners offer a snapshot of how one of the UK’s leading universities is adapting to shifting expectations, new technologies and widening participation – and what high-quality education means in practice today.
Recognising excellence How King’s Education Awards celebrate outstanding teaching and support
Each year, the awards spotlight the people who make learning at King’s transformative, from lecturers who rewrite the rulebook on curriculum design to professional services staff who quietly ensure that students feel seen and supported. Nominations are driven by student and peer testimony, meaning that every shortlisted individual is backed by compelling, real-world stories of impact: the seminar that unlocked confidence, the lab demonstration that made complex theory accessible, the advisor who went beyond office hours to help navigate personal and academic challenges. By foregrounding lived experience rather than metrics alone, the scheme turns everyday acts of dedication into institution-wide moments of recognition.
The judging process highlights a spectrum of achievement, capturing the diversity of roles and disciplines across the university. Panels look for evidence of:
- Innovative teaching practice that makes learning inclusive, engaging and research-informed
- Extraordinary support for student wellbeing, belonging and progression
- Collaborative approaches that bring together academics, professional services and students
- Positive, measurable impact on student experience and outcomes
| Award Focus | Recognised Contribution |
|---|---|
| Teaching Excellence | Redesigning modules to boost engagement |
| Student Support | Creating safe, responsive support spaces |
| Digital Innovation | Using technology to enhance accessibility |
| Community Building | Strengthening relationships across King’s |
Behind the shortlist The rigorous nomination process and criteria shaping the awards
Every name that appears on the King’s Education Awards shortlist has travelled through a carefully designed, multi-layered review process. Nominations are first gathered from students and colleagues across the university, then anonymised and benchmarked against clear educational values rather than popularity alone. Self-reliant panels – made up of students, academic staff and professional services colleagues – review each case in detail, weighing narrative testimonies, evidence of impact and alignment with King’s strategic vision for teaching and learning. This rigor ensures that behind every shortlisted nominee is a body of proof, not just praise.
To maintain fairness and clarity, each panel member scores nominations against shared criteria, combining qualitative reflections with structured scoring.Particular attention is paid to the diversity of nominees and practice, ensuring the shortlist reflects the breadth of King’s teaching community. Key considerations include:
- Educational innovation – fresh approaches to curriculum, assessment or digital learning.
- Inclusive practice – creating belonging and removing barriers to engagement.
- Student partnership – co-creating learning with students, not just for them.
- Measurable impact – clear evidence of improved learning, outcomes or experience.
- Sustained excellence – consistent contribution beyond a single module or year.
| Stage | Who Is Involved | What Panels Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Initial review | Faculty teams | Eligibility and basic alignment with award categories |
| Panel scoring | Students & staff | Depth of impact, evidence, and student voice |
| Final calibration | Central awards committee | Consistency, balance across faculties, and integrity of the shortlist |
Impact on campus culture How award winning practice is transforming learning at King’s
Across King’s, the influence of recognised teaching practice is visible in the everyday rhythms of student life, reshaping how learners collaborate, question and take ownership of their academic journeys. Award recipients are pioneering approaches that move beyond lectures and exams, embedding co-created curricula, live industry briefs and community-engaged projects into courses that once relied on traditional delivery.In seminar rooms, labs and digital spaces, students are now more likely to encounter authentic assessments, structured peer feedback and opportunities to shape the direction of their modules. These innovations are not confined to isolated pockets; they are steadily normalising a culture in which experimentation,reflection and evidence-based pedagogy are expected,not exceptional.
As winning ideas are shared across departments, they are translated into practical changes in how staff work together and how students experience belonging. Cross-faculty learning communities are emerging,using award-winning practice as a catalyst for:
- Collaborative teaching hubs that connect academics,professional services and students.
- Inclusive learning design that responds to diverse needs and lived experiences.
- Digital-first innovation that blends on-campus and online engagement.
- Reflective spaces where staff and students discuss what impactful learning looks like.
| Change Area | Before Awards | After Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Student Voice | End-of-year surveys | Ongoing co-design of modules |
| Assessment | Primarily written exams | Portfolios, podcasts, live briefs |
| Community | Course-based interaction | Cross-disciplinary learning networks |
From nominee to trailblazer Practical steps for staff and students aiming for future recognition
Recognition at King’s rarely arrives by accident; it grows from everyday decisions to teach, support and learn with intent. Staff and students who later stand on stage as award recipients often begin by quietly refining their practice: experimenting with new assessment formats, co‑designing seminars with students, or building inclusive learning spaces where every voice is heard. These small shifts compound when paired with visible collaboration – presenting at faculty teaching forums, partnering with professional services on digital education, or sharing reflections on what worked (and what did not) in a learning design. Over time, such habits create a portfolio of impact that colleagues and students remember when nomination season opens.
Those aspiring to future recognition can start now by aligning their work with the values that underpin the King’s Education Awards. Consider how your daily choices contribute to a richer learning culture and make that contribution easy to see. This might involve maintaining a brief reflective log,inviting structured feedback,or pairing up with a peer to observe each other’s teaching. The path from promising nominee to sector-leading educator is rarely linear, but it is indeed intentional. Focus on initiatives that are student-centred, evidence-informed and openly shared with the wider community – the very qualities that tend to stand out to selection panels.
- Showcase impact – Share outcomes of teaching innovations at faculty meetings, blogs or lightning talks.
- Embed student partnership – Involve students in curriculum design, evaluation and decision‑making.
- Document your journey – Keep concise records of projects, feedback and measurable change.
- Build alliances – Collaborate across departments, services and campuses on education projects.
- Engage with evidence – Ground new ideas in pedagogical research and evaluate them critically.
| Focus Area | Everyday Action | Recognition Potential |
|---|---|---|
| Inclusive teaching | Adapt materials for diverse needs | Stronger student belonging |
| Assessment design | Pilot authentic, low‑stakes tasks | Evidence of reduced anxiety |
| Digital innovation | Use learning analytics thoughtfully | Enhanced engagement data |
| Student voice | Run co‑creation workshops | Clear examples of partnership |
| Community building | Mentor peers or near‑peers | Visible leadership in education |
To Wrap It Up
As King’s continues to confront global challenges through research, teaching, and public engagement, the King’s Education Awards highlight the frequently enough less visible, but crucial, work taking place in lecture theatres, laboratories, studios and online spaces.
By formally recognising the creativity and commitment of its educators and students, the university not only rewards individual excellence but also signals its broader ambitions for the future of learning.
In an era of rapid change across higher education, the awards serve as a reminder that innovation in teaching is not a one-off achievement, but an ongoing, collaborative effort-one that King’s is positioning at the center of its institutional identity.
