Common Core Teaching Excellence Award

The implementation of the Common Core Program provides students with an exciting and excellent opportunity to enrich their undergraduate educational experience. The successful delivery of this Common Core Program depends on the contribution of instructors, together with the full support from their School and department/unit, in developing and teaching a good collection of common core courses.

The Common Core Teaching Excellence Award is established in 2016 to recognize outstanding common core course instructors who have made substantial contribution to the design and/or the teaching of exemplary common core courses, and to promote these courses to the students in the University community.

Recipients of Common Core Course Excellence Award 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015
Recipients of Common Core Teaching Excellence Award 2016 | 2017 | 2018

The 2018 Award

Eligibility

Any instructor or team of instructors who has designed and/or taught a common core course or common core courses between 1 January and 31 December 2018 is eligible to be nominated for the 2018 Award.

Each instructor or team of instructors can only be nominated once in an award year. An instructor or a team of instructors who has received the Award in a particular year cannot be nominated again in the subsequent three years.

Nomination

Nomination for the Award may be made by one or more members of the University community, including at least one student. Each nominator should submit a statement explaining why the instructor or the team of instructors is nominated. This statement can be submitted separately by each individual nominator, or as a joint statement by all nominators.

The nomination must be submitted using the prescribed nomination form. The nominator should specify one common core course or common core courses that is designed, and/or taught during the award year, by the nominated instructor or team of instructors. The nominee(s) are expected to be responsible for designing the specified course(s) and/or teaching one complete section or all sections of the specified course(s).

The nomination should have the consent of the instructor(s) concerned, and be endorsed by the Head of the course offering department/unit. The completed form should be submitted to Undergraduate Core Education Team, Center for Education Innovation on or before 31 January 2019 (Thursday).

Selection Criteria

Nominations will be evaluated with regard to three broad criteria: (a) Delivery of an exemplary common core course; (b) Excellence in course design (including the development of a new course, or the refinement or redevelopment of an existing course) and teaching innovation; and (c) Innovative assessment of student learning. Click here for full details of these criteria.

Selection Process

Upon acceptance of the nomination, the nominee(s) will be asked to provide a teaching portfolio not exceeding 6 A4-size pages to the Selection Committee for consideration. Click here for the guidelines for preparing the teaching portfolio.

A Selection Committee comprising faculty representatives from the Schools/IPO and with student and alumni representation will be established after the close of the nomination period. Instructors who are nominated for the Award must not serve on the Selection Committee.

The Selection Committee will consider the nominations with regard to the selection criteria and the teaching portfolios. It will take into consideration the information relating to the specified course(s) and sections as indicated on the nomination form.

Award Presentation

The Selection Committee will recommend one Award, and a maximum of three Honorary Mentions if called for, to the Committee on Undergraduate Core Education (CUCE) for confirmation.

The Award and Honorary Mention(s) will be presented in the name of the CUCE to the instructor(s) and the course(s) as shown on the nomination form.

The award-winning instructor or team of instructors will receive a cash prize of $20,000. Each individual instructor will also be presented a plaque engraved with the name of the instructor(s) and the course(s).

For each Honorary Mention, the instructor or team of instructors will receive a cash prize of $10,000. Each individual instructor will also be presented a certificate printed with the name of the instructor(s) and the course(s).

The cash award presented to a team of instructors will be shared equally among the instructors. They may also agree collectively on alternative way of allocation among themselves. Instructors receiving the cash award will decide on its use at their own discretion.

The award recipients will be announced in April 2019. The award presentation ceremony is scheduled for 14 May 2019 (Tuesday).

Closing Date for Nominations

31 January 2019 (Thursday)

Inquiry

Miss Vivian Chan
Undergraduate Core Education Team, Center for Education Innovation
Tel: 2358 6803
Email: ucoreaward@ust.hk