Following on from the success of previous years, a call for nominations for the 2021 Vice-Chancellor’s Medal is now underway.

The Medal is awarded for exceptional achievement by staff or students.

Any current member of staff or current student at any of the University’s campuses in China, Malaysia or the UK may be nominated for a Vice-Chancellor’s Medal within the broad criteria for the award set out below.

Criteria for the award of the Medal

• Exceptional achievement in a particular arena;
• Outstanding contribution to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion in University life;
• Notable endeavour which has made a difference to the University;
• A substantive contribution which has enhanced the reputation of the University of Nottingham;
• Activity which has had a noticeably positive impact for students, staff or the local community;
• An individual achievement or sustained achievement over a period of time.

For the 2021 round of Medal awards, nominations for staff and students who have demonstrated exceptional achievements in supporting the response to the pandemic in whatever arena will be particularly welcomed.

Additional examples of exceptional achievement by staff might include sporting success, leadership of a community project, exceptional service as a school governor, innovation in service delivery, notable curricular innovation or significant research impact of some kind.

Student exceptional achievement could include contributions to Hall or JCR, sporting club, student society, other Students’ Union activities or representation, volunteering in the community, as a student ambassador, student caller, fundraising, or some other activity within a School.

Note though these are just examples and not intended to limit the grounds on which someone might be proposed for an award.

Nomination and selection process

The nomination and selection process for this year is as follows:

• The deadline for nominations is 5pm on Friday 9 April 2021.
• Normally nomination is through Head of School/Department or The Students’ Union Development Officer but anyone else can propose.
• Nominations are considered once a year by a Panel, chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, which includes the Development Officer of the Students’ Union in its membership.
• Those selected by the Panel to receive a Vice-Chancellor’s Medal are presented with a specially created medal and certificate at an appropriate University event during the academic year.

Nomination Process

Each nomination MUST include the following information and a brief form is enclosed for your use:

1. Name, School/Department and email address of the nominee;
2. A summary of the staff member or student’s employment or registration at the University;
3. Confirmation of support from Head of School/Department and/or Students’ Union Development Officer (or another sabbatical officer) and name, position, email address and telephone number of proposer;
4. The proposal for the award of the Vice-Chancellor’s Medal (indicating the nature of the achievement and why it should be recognised in this way). This section should be no less than 150 words or any more than 500 words but attachments may be added if helpful.

Nominations should be submitted to the Registrar via Helen McGinnis at helen.mcginnis@nottingham.ac.uk no later than 5pm on Friday 9 April 2021.

It is expected that only a small number of Vice-Chancellor’s Medals will be presented in any year making this a very special award for University of Nottingham staff and students.  Resubmissions in subsequent years will be accepted.