UVic is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating outstanding teaching. This page outlines the pathway for faculty to progress through various levels of teaching awards, from faculty-level recognition, to institutional, regional and national awards. Teaching awards provide opportunities for educators to receive broader acknowledgment of their contributions to student learning, enhance their professional profiles, and create pathways for further leadership and mentorship opportunities in the teaching community. We encourage faculty and peers to nominate exceptional educators and self-nominations are also welcome.
Faculty Teaching Awards
UVic Faculties administer teaching awards and fellowships based on their discipline. These awards are focused on outstanding instruction, curriculum development, innovation in the classroom and others. Usually 1-2 awards are presented annually. Please visit your specific Faculty website or contact your Faculty administrator for criteria and deadlines.
REACH Teaching Awards
Faculty award recipients are encouraged to apply for our institutional REACH Teaching Awards. The highest honor at this level is the Harry Hickman Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching and Educational Leadership, celebrating excellence in teaching and educational leadership. Eligibility requirements for each award are listed on the REACH Teaching Awards webpage.
West Coast Teaching Excellence Awards
After receiving institutional recognition, instructors can be nominated for prestigious external awards. These include discipline- or industry-specific teaching awards and the West Coast Teaching Excellence Award, which honors excellence in teaching in publicly-funded colleges, institutes, and universities of British Columbia and the Yukon. Up to five awards total are given each year, including teams.
The Division of Learning and Teaching Innovation (LTI) provides structured support for interested nominees. As the nomination process requires at least four months of preparation, we issue a call for internal expressions of interest each fall. Nominations for the award are due at the end of February each year.
Nominees are encouraged to submit to LTI:
- An amended CV, 5 pages max, focused on teaching and leadership
- A draft teaching dossier, including a teaching philosophy statement
- A completed award criteria matrix, to demonstrate alignment between teaching experiences and the award’s criteria.
Once accepted through the internal adjudication process, nominees will receive the following support in preparing their nomination package:
- Dossier development support
- Coordination of Provost letter of Endorsement
- Drafting a 250-word press release
- Submission assistance
- Incorporating committee feedback for re-submissions
3M National Teaching Fellowship
Once a provincial (such as West Coast Teaching Award) or industry specific award has been received, instructors can be nominated for the 3M National Teaching Fellowship.
Founded in 1986 as a partnership between the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) and 3M Canada, this award acknowledges educators who have made exceptional contributions to teaching and learning in Canadian post-secondary education. Up to 10 Fellows are selected annually across Canada. Fellows continue to advance teaching and learning through institutional initiatives and broader national collaborations supported by 3M Canada, STLHE, and the Council of Fellows.
Nomination process and support
We offer the same level of support as for the West Coast Teaching Award (please see above for details). Call-outs for internal adjudication will occur in the spring of each year, with the nomination packages due to STLHE by end of November. Additional guidance is available from previous 3M Fellows, providing valuable insight and mentorship for nominees.
Resources
Throughout the year, we offer teaching dossier workshops that support faculty at any stage of the teaching award process. These sessions provide guidance on preparing nomination materials, strengthening teaching statements, and aligning experiences with award criteria.
If you or a colleague are interested in pursuing a teaching award, contact us for more details and nomination support.
