FAQs

2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Education

Students’ Choice Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and the Student Experience

Answers to your frequently asked questions.

What are the deadlines for 2025?

Nominations open:  Monday 21 July 2025

Nominations close: Monday 1 September 2025, 11:59pm (AEDT)

How many students’ choice awards are available?

Up to two (2) Students’ Choice Awards may be awarded each year.

In previous years there was a student-nominated award. How is the Students’ Choice Award different?

In previous years, there was a student-nominated award category, where students would submit their nomination, and selected staff would be invited to submit a full application that would be evaluated by the University Awards Panel.

The award is now 100% student-nominated and student-judged. Staff no longer submit the application. Instead, nominations are submitted by students to recognise a staff member who has had a profound positive impact on their motivation, support, inspiration or ability to learn and succeed.

Who can submit nominations for the Students’ Choice Award?

The award is open to nominations from coursework students at Macquarie. While we recognise that staff also make outstanding contributions to students who are undertaking research degrees, these staff have the opportunity to be recognised through the University’s research awards.

Applications submitted by staff will not be accepted for this award category.

Who can be nominated for the Students’ Choice Award?

Nominations must be for a current staff member and must be for something related to their role in teaching or education support. For example: convenor, lecturer, tutor, demonstrator, advisor, mentor, or any other role that supports students.

I am not sure what to write. What are some examples of outstanding contributions?

Students are welcome to nominate their favourite staff member who has made a significant difference to their journey as a student, their learning experience, or their personal goals and aspirations at the University.

Some examples of this include a staff member who has:

• inspired a new appreciation for their subject
• taught in a way that removed barriers to your and other students’ success
• enhanced your level of confidence to study and succeed
• helped you to navigate the ups and downs of university-life and shown great empathy and care
• inspired you to strive to new heights or discover new career possibilities
• transformed your perception of yourself, the discipline or the world around you

Can I nominate more than one staff member?

Students may nominate as many staff as you wish. Each nominee requires a separate nomination, and they will all be considered independently.

How are the award winners decided?

The Students’ Choice Awards will be assessed by a student panel, who will decide on the winners, based on the statement written by the nominating student. The student panel will look for evidence that the nominee has a significant and long-lasting impact on their students. Judging will be based only on the content of the nominations, NOT on the number of nominations an individual receives.

What happens if the staff member I nominated wins?

Award winners will receive a certificate at the annual Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence in Education Awards ceremony. The winning staff member(s) and the student(s) who wrote the winning nomination(s) will be contacted with a request for an interview so that the winner can be profiled on the MQ website and social media.

Can I nominate the same person as last year if they didn’t win?

Students may nominate any staff member, whether or not they have been nominated for or won this award in the past.

What do I need to write for the nomination form?

Nominations will be strengthened by including specific examples of how the nominee positively impacts their students, and by describing actions, qualities or behaviours that benefit many/all of their students, not just the student writing the nomination. Additionally, the student panel will look for compelling evidence that the nominee has gone above and beyond, resulting in a lasting impact. Applications will be anonymised for the assessment process to protect the privacy of students and staff.

How do I submit my nomination?

Nominations should be submitted via the nomination form before 11:59pm (AEDT) on Monday 1 September 2025.

When are the winners announced?

The winning staff member and the student that nominated them will be announced at the Awards for Excellence in Education Ceremony hosted by the Vice-Chancellor, to be held in December. Details will be confirmed closer to date.

Can I appeal an award decision?

The deliberations of the judging panels are confidential. All recommendations and decisions taken are binding and final, and no correspondence will be entered into on such matters.

Will all of the awards be presented each year?

The judging panels reserve the right not to give an award if they feel that the nominations are not sufficiently compelling.