University of Calgary Teaching Awards Nomination Guide

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