Aim

Sparking off FSTE’s 30th anniversary this year (2024), FSTE Teaching Excellence Award (TEA) is established to recognise and reward FSTE Member Institutions’ teachers with excellent teaching performance.  This annual Award also aims to promote and share good practices for learning and teaching in order to foster a culture of quality enhancement amongst Member Institutions.

Eligbility

  • Full-time teaching staff who are in the academic / teaching track and have been performing teaching duties for at least two consecutive academic years.
  • Nomination can be made on an individual or team basis. For team nomination, each team should comprise not more than four teachers including a team leader.
  • A maximum of two nominations (including individual and team) are limited to each Member Institution.

Awards

  • Three awards will be granted each year, subject to decision of the Selection Panel.
  • Awardee(s) of each Individual or Team will be given a trophy, a certificate and a cash prize of $6,000.
  • Shortlisted nominees will be awarded a Certificate of Merit.

Obligation: Awardees may be invited to take part in sharing sessions or related events for the teaching staff in FSTE Member Institutions.

Schedule

Nomination period: Now – 12 July 2024
Briefing Session: 3 June 2024
Shortlisting and Interview: Mid-September 2024
Announcement of results: Early November 2024
Presentation of awards: 22 November 2024 (FSTE 30th Anniversary Ceremony)

Selection Criteria

The Award is for teachers who consistently perform impactful and excellent in learning and teaching for the benefit of students’ achievements.  Adopting a holistic outcome-based approach with evidence, the nominees are to be considered by the nature of disciplines/professions and evaluated for the award according to the following criteria:

  • Demonstrating Student-centred and Outcomes-based Learning, Teaching and Assessment to facilitate effective learning and teaching for students;
  • Adopting Digital Learning and Teaching Strategies to promote self-led, self-regulated responsible learning for students;
  • Arranging Internships, Job Attachments, Service Learning, or Designing Learning Activities and alike, to benefit students to better understand industries, employers, community and societal needs;
  • Engaging in Continuing Professional Development and Applied Research to inform teaching to improve teaching skills and research practices; and
  • Promoting Teaching and Learning Excellence with impactful achievements within respective institutions and/or across the sector.

Note: The selection is a holistic assessment based on the above five criteria, which carry no specified weighting.  Nominee(s) are suggested to demonstrate and highlight their excellence in specific criteria by evidence to the Panel Members during the selection interview.

Composition of the Selection Panel

Chairperson: From Non-self-financing Higher Education Sector
Members: A FSTE Director
Three representatives from Teaching & Learning Specialists / Senior Management of Higher Education Institutions (recent affliation could be included) / Statutory Bodies / Industry
A Past Awardee of the UGC Teaching Award
A Past Awardee of the FSTE Teaching Excellence Award (starting from AY2024/25)
An alumnus representative from FSTE Member Institutions
Secretary: FSTE Secretariat

Shortlisting and Selection

  • Nominations will be reviewed and assessed by the Selection Panel, who may request additional information from the nominee(s), or other stakeholders, e.g., supervisors, students, peers who are familiar with the nominee(s).
  • Shortlisted nominees will be invited to present in the Selection Panel meeting.  For Team nominations, Team Leader and all the members are required to attend and present in the Selection Panel meeting.
  • The decision of the Selection Panel will be final.

Nomination & Submission

  • Nomination(s) must be made on the nomination form, by two staff members (supervisors / management) with consent of the nominee(s), and approved by the President / Director / Principal / Head of Institutions before submission.
  • Each nominator has to write a statement of about 100 words highlighting the reasons for making the nomination.
  • Each submission should include the following documents:
a. A completed Nomination Form (a template of Appendix 3 below is included)
b. Appendix 1: A brief Resume (1-2 pages for each nominee)
c. Appendix 2: A Teaching Portfolio containing no more than 20 pages in total:
   (i) Teaching Philosophy;
   (ii) Student Feedback Questionnaire (SFQ) survey results on learning & teaching;
   (iii) Evidence-based supporting documents, such as curriculum / lesson plans, teaching materials / resources etc. related to your performance in learning and teaching; and
   (iv) Other relevant and recent information/materials to support the nomination (optional).
   Please refer to Guidelines for Teaching Portfolio for reference.
d. Appendix 3: Statements for Nomination

Enquiry

Please contact FSTE Secretariat at TEA@fste.edu.hk for enquiry.

Criteria and Guidelines of FSTE Teaching Excellence Award