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Professor Annette Cashmore is to receive the fifth National Teaching Fellowship awarded to a Leicester academic.

Fifth National Teaching Fellowship awarded to University of Leicester

Awards for excellence in higher education teaching

Issued on 26 June

Teaching excellence at the University of Leicester has received national recognition- for the fifth time in a row!

The University, which is ranked 12th in the UK by the Good University Guide published in The Independent, is among the UK’s foremost teaching and research led universities.

The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) has today (Thursday June 26) announced that Professor Annette Cashmore of the Department of Genetics is to receive a prestigious fellowship award.

She follows Dr Elizabeth Anderson (2007), Professor Gilly Salmon (2006); Dr Chris Willmott (2005) and Professor Derek Raine (2004) who have all been Leicester recipients of the national award.

She is among fifty lecturers and learning support staff who are celebrating their awards. The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS), launched in 2000, is part of an overall programme to raise the status of learning and teaching in Higher Education. Funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland (DELNI), the scheme comprises two strands, Individual National Teaching Fellowship Awards and Projects.

Annette Cashmore is the first Professor of Genetics Education at the University of Leicester, and also Sub Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Biological Sciences. She serves on several national committees influencing policy on science and medical education and combines her teaching and leadership roles with running a successful research group working on the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans.

She said: “I am delighted to have been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship. It will, of course, impact on my own teaching and research. The University of Leicester now has five National Teaching Fellows, which is fantastic, all adding to ultimately improve the experience of our students.

Professor Peter Williams, Head of the Department of Genetics, said: “The Department of Genetics has long been renowned for the high quality of its research activity. In the last few years, Annette has also established the Department as a centre of excellence for teaching and learning, giving real credibility to our philosophy that world class research and high quality teaching go hand in hand. The award of a National Teaching Fellowship is a fitting reward for Annette's enthusiasm and hard work in the field of Genetics Education, and her colleagues in the Department are all very proud of her.”

Throughout her career Professor Cashmore has been passionate about the importance of synergy between teaching, research and public engagement in science. One of her major achievements has been to motivate others and to foster the philosophy of this synergy in a research-intensive university. Annette led the successful bid for the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education awarded for both the scientific achievements of the Department as well as work to engage with the public. A highlight of her career was the presentation of the award at Buckingham Palace in 2002.

Professor Cashmore led the successful £4.85million bid to establish a Centre of Excellence for Teaching and Learning in Genetics (GENIE) and since 2006 she has been its Director, leading its work. Key projects have included the development and evaluation of innovative resources and approaches, and development of a Virtual Genetics Education Centre, with outreach and public awareness of science also high on the agenda. GENIE is also collaborating with the Higher Education Academy in a major national study on reward and recognition of teaching in higher education institutions.

Despite her many roles within the University and beyond, Professor Cashmore still finds time to be an inspiring and innovative teacher. One student wrote, “Professor Cashmore is passionate about her subject and her enthusiasm rubs off”, another said “The podcasting sessions were brilliant. It makes genetics seem really exciting. All of my friends wish that they had chosen this module”.

The Individual strand of the scheme aims to raise the profile of learning and teaching, recognise and celebrate individuals who make an outstanding impact on the student learning experience, and provide a national focus for institutional teaching and learning excellence schemes. Higher education institutions in England and Northern Ireland were able to nominate up to three staff who could demonstrate excellence in supporting the student learning experience in HE.

Fifty fellowships were awarded this year, recognising excellence in teaching and learning. Each winner will receive an award of £10,000 which may be used for their personal and/or professional development in teaching and learning/aspects of pedagogy.

The new Fellows come from universities throughout England and Northern Ireland. Professor Shirley Pearce, Vice Chancellor of Loughborough University and Chair of the Advisory Panel for the Individual Awards, said: “These Fellows represent a diversity of disciplines and specialisms from a wide range of institutions. Their achievements in promoting excellence in teaching and learning are hugely impressive and of great benefit to students and staff across higher education.”

The winners will receive their awards at a ceremony and dinner in London on 24 September.

For more information: www.heacademy.ac.uk/ntfsindividual

Further information and contacts

For further information, profiles of the winners or photographs, contact Prue Jeffreys, tel 01904 717548 email prue.jeffreys@heacademy.ac.uk, or Karen O’Rourke, tel 01904 717543, email karen.o’rourke@heacademy.ac.uk

Notes to Editors

The Higher Education Academy

The Higher Education Academy works with universities and colleges, discipline groups, individual staff and organisations to help them deliver the best possible learning experience for students. It has a triple focus on national policy, institutional support, and subject and staff development.

It is an independent organisation funded by grants from the four UK funding bodies, subscriptions from higher education institutions, and grant and contract income for specific initiatives. Its functions include the accreditation of programmes and of individuals as registered practitioners, research and evaluation, and a UK-wide Subject Network providing discipline-based support for learning and teaching.