Teaching Awards

Distinguished Teacher Awards

• Honours university instructors who have demonstrated excellence in teaching at the University of Waterloo.
• Open to all who teach students at Waterloo, the DTA is not limited to those holding faculty appointments.
• Four recipients are announced each year in March.

Amit & Meena Chakma Awards for Exceptional Teaching by a Student

• Open to all students who have a formal teaching role at the University of Waterloo.
• Recognizes four outstanding student instructors each year. 

Certificate in University Teaching Award

• Awarded annually to a graduate student who shows a strong commitment to their development as a university teacher and demonstrates the highest achievement on completion of the CUT program.

Centre for Extended Learning (CEL) Online Teaching Awards

• Recognizes teaching and course design excellence in fully online undergraduate- or graduate-level courses and programs.
• There are two awards: the Award for Excellence in Online Course Design and the Award for Excellence in Online Teaching.

Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision

• Established by the Graduate Studies Office and the Graduate Student Association to recognize exemplary faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in graduate student supervision. 
• Normally, three faculty members will be recognized annually. The winners receive $1,000 (taxable) and are recognized at Spring Convocation.

Not all faculties at the University of Waterloo offer a teaching award. Please note that the list below may not be exhaustive. 

• Faculty of Health Teaching Award
• Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching
• Excellence in Science Teaching Award
• Faculty of Mathematics Awards for Distinction in Teaching
• Teaching Excellence in Engineering Award 

University of Waterloo instructors have also received Leadership in Faculty Teaching Awards (LIFT), but this program is no longer active.