Friday 2 November

What links Rob Ellis and Rai Shacklock? As last night's Chancellor's Awards ceremony showed, outstanding teaching ability is common to both, since Rai Shacklock was the first winner of the Professor Robert Ellis award for outstanding teaching. We also remembered Rob when we celebrated Senior Learning Officer Ian Dickinson's work in picking up and continuing Rob's pioneering projects in the Built Environment. Stephen Rennie, Sheila Casey, Keith Rowntree and Phil Day were also celebrated for their support of student learning. Among the dozen awards given, all of the winners contribute in one way or another to supporting the student experience.

Last week we also celebrated the presentation to Julia Tum of The Laureate Hospitality Achievement Award, which recognised her outstanding achievement in contributing to the advancement of  teaching, learning and practice in hospitality and tourism education for the innovative Practically Assessed Structures Scenarios. Outstanding teaching and learning support is what we do here at Leeds Met, as our eminent cadre of Teacher Fellows and National Teaching Fellows can testify. As we start our search for the next cohort of teachers and learning support staff to recognise through these schemes, it's good to remember Rob and to celebrate our new stars.

Sally Brown
Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Assessment, Learning and Teaching