The valuable contribution of Flinders University’s teaching staff to high-quality education has been officially recognised as part of the Vice-Chancellor’s annual Celebration of Excellence and Innovation in Teaching this week.

Now in its sixth year, the celebration aims to acknowledge teaching excellence and innovation across the University’s four faculties while showcasing a range of initiatives and achievements from Flinders staff.

More than 130 Flinders staff attended this year’s event on November 26, which included an inaugural keynote address by the 2012 Prime Minister’s University Teacher of the Year, Professor James Arvanitakis from the University of Western Sydney, on the principles for inclusive teaching.

Recipients of the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching were Dr Chris Brebner (Flinders Clinical Effectiveness), Professor Larry Owens (School of Education) and Dr Craig Taylor (School of Humanities).

The 2013 Teaching and Learning Innovation Grant winners were Mrs Liz Abery (Flinders Prevention, Promotion and Primary Health Care), Dr Kathy Brady (Student Learning Centre), Dr Julia Erhart and Associate Professor Karen Orr Vered (School of Humanities), Dr Jeffrey Gil (School of Humanities), Dr Kirstin Ross (School of the Environment) and Dr Paul Williamson and Dr Lydia Woodyatt (School of Psychology).

Recipients of the Office for Learning and Teaching grants and awards, including Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, were also announced during the celebration, while various presentations were delivered by the 2012 Teaching and Learning Innovation Grant winners and graduates of the Internship Program.

Professor Heather Smigiel, Director of the Centre for University Teaching, congratulated the recipients for their outstanding contributions to teaching at Flinders.

“The awards are terrific because they acknowledge the excellent work that people are doing across the University and the grants enable innovation by providing funding to assist staff to try new things,” Professor Smigiel said.

“The combination of the awards and the grants are an essential part of promoting, recognising and enabling quality teaching,” she said.