News

Thursday 14 July 2005

Nottingham Trent University lecturer wins national teaching award

A Nottingham Trent University lecturer has won a prestigious national award for higher education teachers.  Dr Peter Ovens, a Principal Lecturer within the university's School of Education, has won a National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) award, which recognises excellence in teaching.

Dr Ovens was one of 50 chosen from a total of 187 nominations submitted by higher education institutions across England and Northern Ireland.  He will receive £50,000 to be used for projects that will make a significant contribution to learning and teaching.   

The NTFS, launched in 2000, is managed by the Higher Education Academy and funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland, as part of the individual strand of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund.

Part of Dr Ovens' work, recognised by the award, has been the development of 'patchwork texts' - a method by which students improve their abilities to learn and produce better quality assignments for assessment.  Dr Ovens will be using his £50,000 award to progress this approach further and will be sharing his work with colleagues nationally.
 
He said: "I'm delighted to have received this great honour, it's definitely a high point in my career.  It's been made possible by encouragement and help from students and colleagues over the years, most of all from Nottingham Trent University. They've all taught me so much."  
 
Sir David Watson, the Chair of the NTFS Advisory Panel, said: "This is the second consecutive year in which the Scheme will support 50 Fellows. Once again they come from an immensely impressive pool of applicants and represent the very best of learning and teaching in our universities and colleges."

The winners will receive their awards from the Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, at a celebration dinner on 15 September.
 
ENDS
Notes for editors

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 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.

For more information please contact:

Dave Rogers, Press Officer, on Tel: 0115 848 2650 or via email: dave.rogers@ntu.ac.uk

Or Therese Easom, Press and Media Relations Manager, on Tel: 0115 848 6589 or via email: therese.easom@ntu.ac.uk