Rewards and recognition

The University of Auckland grants and awards

Change One Thing Challenge

Launched in February 2023, the Change One Thing challenge grants small awards to recognise impactful teaching practices.

Each recipient receives $1,000 towards professional learning.

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grants

These grants are designed to enhance student learning experiences through the integration of teaching, learning and research, and support colleagues as they develop educational leadership capability. The grants fund projects that are aligned to the University’s institutional priorities.

Three streams of funding are available

• Small scale projects – Development and Innovation Grant
• Medium scale projects – Scholarship of Teaching and Learning / Discipline-Based Educational Research Grant
• Capacity building – Learning Leaders Grant

The growing demand for SoTL Grants received 39 applications in 2024, 28 of which were successful. Comparing the numbers over the last three years, almost 3/4 of all applicants are awarded funding to bring their enhancement of student learning aspirations to life.

Applications for the 2025 round are open now, and close at 5pm, Tuesday 11 November 2025.

University of Auckland Teaching Excellence Awards

These annual awards recognise excellence in teaching. Successful applicants receive a medal and a prize of $6,000. There are up to five Teaching Excellence Awards made each year in the following categories:

• Sustained Excellence in Teaching (x2)
• Early Career Excellence in Teaching (x2)
• Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Applications open in June 2025.

Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Values and Te ao Māori Principles

These awards are designed to support the aspirations of Taumata Teitei and the vision of a values-led culture. They acknowledge not just the extraordinary work our staff do to meet Waipapa Taumata Rau’s call to excellence, but also the way they go about that work and the enduring impact our staff create through our shared values.

These awards replace the Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Awards.

Nominations open in October 2025.

Congratulations to the previous award recipients.

Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences

FHMS teaching awards

The Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences offers its own selection of annual awards to support excellence in teaching among its staff – the Butland Teaching Awards and Dennis Pickup Clinical Educator Awards.

U21 Health Sciences Group (HSG) Teaching Excellence Award

This award celebrates exceptional educational scholarship across the U21 HSG network. The award is open to member institutions of the Universitas 21 network. Nominations are received in June and announced in August.

FHMS educational research funding

Two streams of funding are available for staff at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences to undertake research into curriculum development (EW Sharman Staff Award for Curriculum Development) and research relating to medical education (Daniel and Olga Archibald Medical Education Research Fund).

Applications open in September and close mid-December 2025.

FMHS Professional Teaching and Leadership Development Grant

This Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences grant supports improvements in teaching and learning through the development, and financial support, of leaders (or emergent leaders) in teaching and learning for Professional Teaching Fellows (PTFs) and Senior Tutors.

Applications open in September and close mid-December 2025.

Business School

As part of its annual Staff Excellence Awards, the Business School recognises outstanding educational practices by granting awards in six categories, including excellence in early-career teaching, supervision, innovation, professional programs, and external partnerships.

Faculty of Engineering and Design

Top Teacher Awards

This award is presented annually to fifteen teachers who have made a significant impact to the learning experience of their students. Recipients are decided by popular vote from the students themselves.

Teaching Development Awards

The purpose of this award is to recognise initiatives and effort from FoED staff who have improved an aspect of their teaching or courses. The intention is to help foster a culture of teaching experimentation. Applications are received in Semester One at the end of the mid-semester break.

Teaching Development Fund

The Fund is designed to support continuous improvement in learning and teaching in Engineering and Design Education. This is for a current/future teaching innovation, and is available to all Faculty academic staff who have a teaching role. Applications are accepted in the mid-semester break of Semester One.

Faculty Teaching Excellence Awards

Application criteria are aligned with the University of Auckland Teaching Excellence Awards—Early Career Excellence, Sustained Excellence, Excellence in Leadership—and are a good ‘stepping stone’ towards applying for either the wider University award or the Aotearoa Tertiary Educator Awards.

Faculty of Science

The Faculty of Science offers multiple awards, grants and scholarships to support its teachers, including Teaching Development Grants, Teaching Scholarship Grants, and Goldstone Travel Award for PTFs/Senior Tutors.

Te Whatu Kairangi | Aotearoa Tertiary Educator Awards

These Awards are coordinated by Ako Aotearoa and recognise tertiary educators who share their commitment to outstanding practice and make a difference to learners.

The awards include:

• Kaupapa Māori Award – presented to individuals or groups whose practice incorporates te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori.
• Le Moana Mua Award – for Pacific educators, available to both individuals and groups.
• General Award – with specified criteria applicable to both individuals and groups.
• Te Tohu Reo Māori – award, presented to individuals, recognising the practice of kaiako who teach te reo Māori. (Note that nominations for Step 1 have closed for this award).

2025 nominations are open now and will close at 5pm, Friday 27 June.

Read about the previous winners of this prestigious award.

Academic Career Advancement Programme

The ACAP (formerly DALI) gives mid-phase doctoral candidates a head start in their academic future. It involves a series of regular seminars over two semesters, with a focus on careers in academia, teaching, and research. Tuition is funded by the Academic Career Advancement Award.