University of Calgary Teaching Award Application Guide
Below are links to the 15 calls for nomination, applicant support resources and information about how to book a consultation to discuss your application package. To return to the program homepage, click here.
Before you submit a nomination
Calls for nomination
There are 15 categories with multiple awards with specific eligibility criteria. Please carefully review the call for nomination for your award category of interest before developing your nomination package. If you have questions regarding awards categories and the calls for nomination, contact teachingawards@ucalgary.ca.
Award for Blended and Online Learning
Award for Continuing and Professional Education
Award for Curriculum Development
Award for Full-Time Academic Staff
Award for Experiential Learning Initiatives
Experiential Learning Initiatives (Individual)
Experiential Learning Initiatives (Group)
Award for Graduate Assistants (Teaching)
Award for Graduate Supervision
Award for Inclusive Excellence
Award for Indigenous Ways of Knowing
Award for Librarians, Archivists and Curators
Award for Non-Academic Staff
Award for Sessional Instructors
Award for Work-Integrated Learning
Award for Team Teaching
Consultations
Contact us to schedule an appointment with a member of the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning team.
Additional supports
Explore additional resources related to dossiers, philosophy statements and more.
Nomination package checklist
Digital form
Each submission to the University of Calgary Teaching Awards must be submitted using a digital form with contact information.
Nomination letter
A strong nomination letter is a key component of any award application package.
Nomination dossier
The nomination dossier provides evidence of teaching and learning from multiple sources, including self-reflection, student and colleague feedback.
Dossiers and philosophy statement supports
Dossiers and philosophy statements allow educators, and those who support education, to reflect on and document their practice.
Inclusive Excellence Award Support
Resources and materials to support the development of a UCalgary Inclusive Excellence Teaching Award.
Video reflection guide
This video prompts participants to develop elements of their teaching philosophy and dossier.
Video reflection resources
Diversity statement exemplars
For a full, referenced list of exemplars, please download the PDF at the link below.
Looking to leverage technology in your application?
We invite you to consult with our learning and instructional design team. Consultations can help you explore how new ideas and techniques to enhance student learning or to address challenges or constraints in the learning environment. Single visits or continued follow-up consultations can help you achieve specific goals in relation to teaching and learning.
Frequently asked questions
The elements of the nomination package should be presented in the order they appear in the call for nominations:
- Online form with contact information
- Nomination letter
- Nomination Dossier (a maximum of 10 pages)
Colleagues, department heads, leaders, and former students can nominate someone. Nominators should be able to describe the nominee's strengths and accomplishments in relation to the award criteria.
Nomination letters can be written or recorded by an individual nominator or co-written/recorded by multiple nominators. A co-written/recorded letter needs to be signed by all nominators.
Note that only former students (not currently taught or supervised by the nominee) may nominate instructors for a Teaching Award. Current students (even when they are keen to contribute) are in a vulnerable position and so may not provide letters of support for a nomination.
A nomination letter highlighting the nominee’s strengths, contributions, and accomplishments as they relate to one or more of the award criteria is required from an individual nominator or can be co-written by multiple nominators. Nomination letters are not included in the dossier page count; the letter should be a maximum of two pages or 5 minutes for audio or video submissions.
A philosophy statement is a one-page document where nominees can reflect on and express their teaching and educational leadership beliefs, why they hold these beliefs, and how they put them into practice.
The statement is an important opportunity for the adjudicators to hear the nominee’s own voice. Philosophy statements should be written in first-person and genuinely reflect nominees' beliefs. Claims made in the philosophy statement should be substantiated in other parts of the nomination dossier and aligned with evidence throughout.
The resources section offers a collection of sample teaching philosophy statements which can be accessed below.
Sample teaching philosophy statements
AI may be used in the preparation of award nominations. However, nominators and nominees are responsible for ensuring that information included in their nomination package is true, accurate and complete and that all sources are appropriately acknowledged and referenced.
The use of generative AI tools for evaluating and reviewing teaching award nominations is prohibited. For further information on the acceptable use of automated systems (including artificial intelligence systems) where personal information is input to generate content or make decisions, recommendations or predictions please see UCalgary's position on the protection of privacy related to the use of AI and automated systems.