Awards + Funding
Celebrating Our Vibrant Community
The University of Alberta is thrilled to celebrate and recognize the outstanding achievements of our vibrant community! Our awards honor the diverse and innovative practices that enrich learning experiences, advance knowledge, inspire engaged citizenship, and foster inclusive and supportive educational environments. By recognizing the impactful work of our educators, we celebrate excellence and inspire future generations to critically engage with their communities and drive transformative change.
Inclusive Recognition, Celebration and Learning
The University of Alberta is committed to inclusive recognition, celebration, and learning from all teaching practices and pedagogies. We celebrate creativity and innovation in all stages of knowledge creation and dissemination, providing pathways for recognizing contributions from faculty, students, staff, university partners, individuals, and communities.
Recognition is grounded in the University of Alberta's principles and values, as defined by the institutional strategic plans and commitments including:
- SHAPE: A Strategic Plan of Impact;
- Braiding Past, Present and Future: University of Alberta Indigenous Strategic Plan;
- Institutional commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion, and
- The Framework for Effective Teaching outlined in the Teaching, Learning and Evaluation Policy.
Types of Awards Available
Awards for Faculty Excellence
The Faculty Excellence awards recognize and celebrate a sustained commitment to excellence in the areas of teaching, research and service to the university and community. These awards honour faculty members' contributions, impact, and leadership in their disciplines, as well as their influence on research and academic citizenship.
- University Cup
- University of Alberta Distinguished Professor
- McCalla Professorship
- Vargo Teaching Chair
- Henry Marshall Tory Chair (pending review; applications currently closed)
Awards for Teaching Excellence
These awards celebrate outstanding teaching practices and pedagogies, focusing on excellence and innovation in instructional activities, including diverse teaching methods, mentoring, and fostering inclusive and intellectually-rewarding educational environments
Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund
These awards are designed to enhance the educational landscape by supporting innovative projects that aim to improve teaching and learning. TLEF empowers educators to push the boundaries of traditional teaching methods by investigating current practices, implementing new pedagogical strategies, or exploring creative approaches in digital spaces.
- TLEF Innovation Projects
- TLEF Transformation Initiative (in development; stay tuned for more updates)
Fearless Innovator Award
Celebrating boldness and creativity, this award embraces psychological safety by celebrating the creative risks and inevitable missteps on our path to innovation. By acknowledging and learning from our failures, we foster a supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to develop a growth mindset, ensuring that every member of our community feels safe to explore and express new ideas.
- Fearless Innovator Award - Instructor
- Fearless Innovator Award - Staff
- Fearless Innovator Award - Student (undergraduate and graduate)
Past Awards
These awards honor innovative and adaptive practices that have enriched our academic community.
External Teaching Awards
- 3M National Teaching Fellowships (STLHE)
- As part of your 3M nomination package, you are required to submit a “Post-Secondary Institution Administration Letter of Endorsement.” At the University of Alberta, this letter will be provided by the Provost and Vice-President (Academic). The office of the Vice-Provost (Learning Initiatives) will help coordinate this support letter. Please contact excellence.awards@ualberta.ca to request the letter at least 3 weeks before the 3M National Teaching Fellowships application deadline.
- D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning (STLHE)
- Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations (CAFA)
- Distinguished Academic Award
- Distinguished Academic Early Career Award
- Distinguished Teaching Award
- Lee Lorch Award (CAUT)
inclusive Application Process
We welcome applications from all qualified persons.
Acknowledging that awards can replicate social inequities, our application and adjudication processes are designed to celebrate and recognize the diversities of the University community. The University of Alberta acknowledges that language is ever-evolving and that listing categories of self-identification does not constitute commitment in and of itself. Recognition of teaching by members of the following equity-denied groups is central to this policy, including but not limited to: Indigenous peoples, Black people, and people of colour and non-white people, disabled people and people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, gender diverse people, women, and all those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas and the University.
Our commitment extends to fostering creativity and innovation in all stages of knowledge creation and dissemination, providing pathways for recognizing the contributions of faculty, students, staff, university partners, individuals, and communities.
Contact Us
For more information, email excellence.awards@ualberta.ca.