The Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic (AVPA) supports efforts to acknowledge and reward instructors' efforts related to various aspects of teaching and learning. The following information includes details about institution-level internal and external teaching awards. For information about department-, faculty-, and discipline-specific teaching awards, please contact your department.
Institutional Awards
Institutional teaching awards are university-wide awards that celebrate teaching excellence across campus that has lasting and positive impacts that deepens students learning experience. The following are a variety of different institutional teaching award at the University level along with links for more information on their specific details and nomination processes.
| Award | Description | Contact |
|---|---|---|
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Honours instructors who have demonstrated excellence in teaching at the University of Waterloo. |
Coordinator, Faculty Programming - Centre for Teaching Excellence | |
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Recognizes teaching and course design excellence in fully online undergraduate or graduate level courses and programs. |
Online Teaching Awards - Centre for Extended Learning | |
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Awarded to a graduate student who shows a strong commitment to their development as a university teacher on the completion of the Certificate in University Teaching program. |
Graduate Awards - Centre for Teaching Excellence. | |
|
Amit & Meena Chakma Awards for Exceptional Teaching by a Student |
Recognizes outstanding student instructors. |
Faculty Programming Coordinator - Centre for Teaching Excellence. |
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Recognizes exemplary faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in graduate student supervision. |
Coordinator, Graduate Financial Aid & Awards Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs |
External Awards
The AVPA office has capacity to support award nominations with respect to building the nomination package and writing a strong narrative. Contact Alisa Sivak for information.
A strong nomination team will include a nominee and a nominator who have a strong working relationship with capacity to work together to build a strong dossier. Ideal to imagine that the process will take at least two tries – be prepared to put the work in.
3M National Teaching Fellowship
Deadline: TBD
The 3M National Teaching Fellowship, a collaboration between The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) and 3M Canada, is Canada’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in educational leadership and teaching at the university and college level. The 3M nomination process is about applying to be accepted into a fellowship more than receiving recognition. Fellows connect with and learn from other Fellows while continuing to shape higher education in Canada. For information on the nomination process, criteria, and dossier details, refer to the 3M site. For additional support in nominating a team for this award, contact Alisa Sivak, Communications Associate, Office of the AVPA.
OCUFA Teaching and Academic Librarianship Awards
Deadline: TBD
The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) annually recognizes outstanding teachers in Ontario Universities through their Teaching and Academic Librarianship Awards. This award acknowledges the contributions from both graduate and undergraduate levels of teaching with a focus on excellence and innovation. Visit OCUFA’s site to learn more about the nominations process with specific guidelines to help assist the procedure. For additional support in nominating a team for this award, contact Alisa Sivak, Communications Associate, Office of the AVPA.
QS Reimagine Education Awards
Deadline: September 1st, 2024
The QS Reimagine Educations Award recognizes the pioneers of educations across the world that foster a vibrant community of instructors who are committed to innovation and redefine teaching and learning for students and their futures. They have a combination of eighteen diverse award categories, which focus on transformative and forward-thinking programs, technologies, and pedagogical approaches to innovative education. To learn more about Reimagine and their Awards, visit the QS Reimagine site. For additional support in nominating a team for this award, contact Alisa Sivak, Communications Associate, Office of the AVPA.
D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning
Deadline: TBD
The D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning recognizes and celebrated collaborative teaching and learning in post-secondary education. The Award is open to groups of two or more individuals, at least one of whom must be currently teaching, regardless of discipline or level of appointment. D2L Innovation Awards focus on demonstrable records by applicants that represent innovation in all aspects of teaching and learning. To learn more about the application procedure refer to the D2L site. For additional support in nominating a team for this award, contact Alisa Sivak, Communications Associate, Office of the AVPA.
External award recipients, 1980-present
| Year | Name | Faculty | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Katie Plaisance | Environment | OCUFA |
| 2017 | Steven Bednarski | Arts | D2L |
| 2017 | Gordon Stubley | Engineering | 3M |
| 2016 | Carol Hulls | Engineering | D2L |
| 2012 | Robert Sproule | Arts | D2L |
| 2010 | Alan Morgan | Environment | 3M |
| 2009 | Gordon Stubley | Engineering | OCUFA |
| 2007 | Rohan Jayasundera | Science | LIFT (inactive) |
| 2007 | Gord Stubley | Engineering | LIFT (inactive) |
| 2004 | Howard Armitage | Arts | 3M |
| 2004 | Jean Andrey | Environment | OCUFA |
| 2000 | Ronald George Scoins | Mathematics | OCUFA |
| 1993 | Phyllis Forsyth | Arts | OCUFA |
| 1987 | Donald Irish | Science | OCUFA |
| 1986 | Ralph Krueger | Environment | 3M |
| 1979 | Laurence Cummings | Engineering | OCUFA |
| 1975 | Paul Seligman | Arts | OCUFA |
| 1975 | Hugh MacKinnon | Arts | OCUFA |
| 1973 | Park Reilly | Engineering | OCUFA |