SETU celebrated the University’s inaugural Teaching Excellence Awards ceremony at the University’s Cork Road Campus in Waterford.
Attendees gathered to acknowledge staff members whose commitment to teaching and delivering transformative and innovative courses has had a significant impact on student learning and development.
Two award recipients were announced, Dr Danielle Douglas, lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and Dr Catherine Lowry-O’Neill, lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning.
Five additional staff members, including Dr Peter Carew, Dr Martin Harrigan, Dr Evelyn Landers, Clare Kearney and Dr John Organ, were formally recognised on the shortlist, demonstrating the breadth of excellence in teaching across all of SETU's discipline areas.
“At SETU, we deeply value our teaching staff who contribute every day to the growth, learning, and success of all our students.”
Professor Veronica Campbell, President of SETU, paid tribute to the central role of teaching in the University’s mission.
Prof. Campbell congratulated awardees and thanked the cross-campus evaluation panel, chaired by Dr Helen Murphy, for coordinating the nomination process. She also noted the awards’ national significance as the Higher Education Authority (HEA) develops a new Recognition Framework for Teaching and Learning.
Delivering the keynote address, Shauna Whyte, Vice President for People, Culture and EDI, linked the awards to the University’s wider staff-recognition programme. She said, “By celebrating our Teaching Excellence Awards recipients, we reaffirm our collective commitment to a culture where every contribution is valued, and where professional development is supported at every career stage.”
The Teaching Excellence Awards has been established alongside SETU’s Research Excellence and PMSS (Professional, Management, Support and Services) Awards. All three provide the opportunity to recognise achievement across teaching, research, and professional practice.
The SETU Teaching Excellence Awards are unique in that they are both staff and student-led in terms of the nomination process. The University's awards initiatives are designed to embed a sustainable culture of excellence. By prioritising student-centred practice, they demonstrate the University’s ambition to nurture a learning community across disciplines.