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Early Career Prize for Excellence in Higher Education

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Early Career Prize for Excellence in Higher Education

Recognising inspirational, innovative and dedicated people in the first five years of their career in higher education.

Details

Status Opening soon
Nominations opening date 15 April 2026 9:00am (BST)
Nominations closing date 23 June 2026 5:00pm (BST)
Nominator eligibility Anyone
Nominee eligibility Individuals
Nominee location UK and Ireland
Career stage Early career

Winners

About this prize

Nominations are open now until 17:00 on Tuesday 23 June 2026

This prize recognises inspirational, innovative and dedicated people in the first five years of their career in higher education.

  • Run annually
  • The winner receives £3000, a medal and a certificate
  • The winner will be chosen by the Education Prize Selection Panel

Individuals named in any of the following roles during the nomination and judging period are not eligible to nominate or be nominated:

  • Education Prize Selection Panel members
  • RSC Subject Community Presidents
  • RSC Prize Committee members
  • Trustees of the ÍâÍøÌìÌÃ
  • ÍâÍøÌìÌà staff

Nominees

  • The prize is open to nominees working in the higher education sector in the UK or Ireland
  • Nominees should be within 5 years of starting their career in education (inclusive of any training year) at the closing date for nominations. Consideration will also be given to those who have taken career breaks, changed to a career in education or followed different career paths
  • Nominees do not need to be members of the RSC
  • We will not consider nominations of deceased individuals
  • Nominations for individuals can only be considered for one of our Education prizes in any given year. In the case where an individual is nominated for more than one prize independently, RSC staff will ask the nominee which prize they would like to be considered for
  • Nominees should only be nominated once for this prize in any given prize cycle. In cases where we receive more than one nomination for the same nominee, only one nomination will go forward to judging

Nominators

  • Nominees may not nominate themselves
  • Nominators do not need to be members of the RSC 
  • When nominating previous RSC prize winners, please remember that a person cannot be awarded twice for substantially the same body of work
  • All unsuccessful nominations from the previous cycle will be retained on our nomination system ahead of the next cycle. To be considered again, nominators must log in, update details, and resubmit the nomination for the following cycle. Please note that reconsideration is no longer automatic
    • RSC staff will write to nominators and nominees to confirm when the nomination window has re-opened. Nominators will receive instructions on how to log in and update the nomination

To make a nomination, please use our online nominations system to submit the following information:

    • Your name and contact details
    • Your nominee’s name and contact details
    • Information relating to your nominee’s career and professional experience, which will be shared with the selection panel. Before doing so, RSC staff will always seek consent from the nominee in cases where special category data is mentioned. Please make sure that you provide enough information for the selection panel to understand the nature and impact of any time away from education.
      • Date (month and year) of the start of their career working in education (including any training).
      • Details (dates and time periods) of any part-time work, time away from education, career breaks or interruptions – for example, parental/adoption leave, caring responsibilities, long-term illness, family commitments, etc.
      • Any other circumstances not captured above – for example, long-term conditions, disabilities, etc., that you would like the selection panel to be aware of and consider.
    • A short citation describing what the nominated individual should be awarded for. This must be no longer than 250 characters (including spaces) and no longer than one sentence
    • A supporting statement (up to 750 words) addressing the selection criteria
    • References are not required for this prize and will not be accepted

We reserve the right to rescind any prize if there are reasonable grounds to do so. All nominators will be asked to confirm that, to the best of their knowledge, their nominee's professional standing is such that there is no confirmed or potential impediment to them receiving this prize. All winners will be asked to sign the RSC's Code of Conduct Declaration for Recognition. 

Our selection committees base their evaluations primarily on the overall quality of relevant contributions made by nominees and not on quantitative measures. In your nomination, you should show how the nominee demonstrates emerging impact in one or more of the selection criteria below. While nominees for this prize should be working in higher education, they may demonstrate evidence of the criteria within any stage of education. Nominees do not have to demonstrate all of the selection criteria to be considered for the prize.

The selection committee will consider the following aspects of nominations for this prize:

  • Demonstrating effectiveness in delivering or supporting teaching and/or assessment of chemistry.
  • Contributing to the design of an innovative and effective chemistry curriculum.
  • Enthusing students through practical chemistry.
  • Raising the profile of chemistry in the curriculum and through extra curricular activities so that students are inspired to become more aware of chemistry and its relevance to society.
  • Inspiring and encouraging students to take chemistry further, in study or in their career choice.
  • Championing inclusion and diversity in chemistry education.
  • A commitment to continuing professional development.
  • Other indicators of esteem indicated by the nominee/nominator.

This prize was created in 2020, as part of a series of changes introduced following an independent review of the ÍâÍøÌìÌÃ’s recognition programmes.

Excellence in Education prizes

Our Education Prizes celebrate educators in primary, secondary, further education and higher education – including teachers, technicians and more. These prizes recognise a wide range of skills – from curriculum design to effective teaching, and from personal development to working culture. This category includes specific prizes for teams and for those in the early stages of their career, and well as prizes that celebrate ground-breaking innovations and initiatives that mark a step-change in education.

Selection panel

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Jacquie Robson

Durham University, UK

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Amir Ali

London Nautical School, UK

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Benjamin E Arenas

University of Edinburgh, UK

Mr Niall Begley

Niall Begley

Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock

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Amie Langford

Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Headshot of Colin McGill

Colin McGill

Edinburgh Napier University, UK

Stuart Naismith

Stuart Naismith

Gartcosh Primary School, UK

Mrs Caroline Skerry

Caroline Skerry

St Joseph's School

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Emma Spacey

Swansea University, UK

Mrs Maureen Wade

Maureen Wade

The Victory Academy (TSAT)