McMaster wins second Global Teaching Excellence Award

Canada’s McMaster University is the winner of this year’s Global Teaching Excellence Award.

The Ontario institution was awarded the prize, run by UK sector agency Advance HE in partnership with Times Higher Education, in recognition of its university-wide commitment to high-quality teaching.

The judges praised McMaster for “the strength of its vision and plan for achieving teaching excellence and the provision of evidence that it is embedded institution-wide”.

At a presentation ceremony in Edinburgh on 18 July, five further higher education institutions from the 17-strong shortlist were commended, including three UK providers: the University of Birmingham, Edge Hill University and the Royal Northern College of Music. Spain’s University of Deusto and Australia’s University of Wollongong were also commended.

Alison Johns, Advance HE’s chief executive, described the quality of this year’s submissions as “truly outstanding”.

“The geographic spread and diversity of institution type among our 2018 finalists underlines that teaching excellence and institutional commitment to its achievement is evident around the world,” Ms Johns said. “Congratulations to all our finalists, to the spotlight winners and, of course, a particular ‘well done’ to McMaster University for their outstanding winning submission.”

Five other UK higher education institutions made the shortlist: the universities of Derby and Hertfordshire, Falmouth University, the Open University and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Other Australian providers in the running were the University of New South Wales and Charles Sturt University, while Canada’s second representative was Vancouver Island University, and Comillas Pontifical University fulfilled the same role for Spain.

The shortlist was completed by Swiss institution ETH Zurich, and South Africa’s University of Johannesburg.

Last year’s inaugural award was won by the University of Huddersfield.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com