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Award categories, selection and eligibility criteria

The University Staff Recognition Awards are open to all staff on the UCC payroll.

For the 2011/2012 call, there are four categories of award with two awards available per category in which staff may be nominated for recognition. These are:

  1. Rising Star Award (open to staff in the early stages of their career) - Nominations invited for individuals  
  2. Leadership Award (open to all staff) - Nominations invited for individuals
  3. Exceptional Citizen Award (open to all staff) - Nominations invited for individuals & teams
  4. Enhancing the Student Experience Award (open to all staff) - Nominations invited for individuals & teams

Indicative criteria for each award category are set out below.

1. Indicative Criteria for the Rising Star Award (open to all staff in the early stages of their career)

Individuals eligible for nomination for the Rising Star Award are members of staff in the early stages of their career who, on the closing date for receipt of nominations, have completed their period of probation and have been in post for a period of less than 5 years.

This award category is divided into two sub-categories and one award will be offered in each sub-category as follows:

(a)  Rising Star Award (staff other than academic staff)

(b)  Rising Star Award (academic staff) 

 

(a)   Rising Star Award (staff other than academic staff) 

This Award may be presented to an individual who demonstrates the most outstanding achievements in some or all of the following:

  • Building relationships/collaborations
  • Exploitation of opportunities
  • Self starter capability
  • Creativity and innovation

Examples might include but are not limited to:

  • the identification and exploitation of opportunities that contribute to the successful delivery of the University’s strategic objectives or the introduction of an initiative that brings about a positive change in support of the University’s mission; (e.g. involvement in departmental planning, introduction of new projects/programmes, successul grant applications, continuous improvement measures, responding to customer needs etc.);
  • improvements to policies, practices and/or programme design;
  • the development of relationships/collaborations to enable UCC to meet its goals in support of the University’s strategic objectives or improving morale through actions not related to job expectations (e.g. dynamic working groups, enhancement of UCC's national/international reputation, intervarsity collaboration, engagement with the university community, provision of support to colleagues/students, provision of an integrated service to staff/students etc.);
  • evidence of being a self-starter; 
  • evidence of imagination, creativity and innovation which supports the achievement of the University's strategic objectives.  

(b)          Rising Star Award (academic staff)

This Award may be presented to an individual who demonstrates the most outstanding achievements in some or all of the following:

  • Research
  • Teaching
  • Self Starter Capability 

Examples might include but are not limited to:

  • progressive examples of conducting and disseminating high-quality research in areas of national and international significance (e.g. publication output, journal impact within disciplinary norms, number of citations, conference presentations, successful grant application; building research capacity);
  • progressive examples of external collaboration resulting in national and international impact;
  • progressive examples of high-quality teaching (e.g. innovative pedagogy, integration of teaching and research, student recognition of performance, involvement of undergraduates in research, supervision of postgraduate students);
  • imagination, creativity and innovation which embody the 'leading actions' of the University, specifically high-quality research, research-led teaching, and strengthening the student experience.  The leading actions can be found in the UCC Strategic Plan. 

 

2. Indicative Criteria for the Leadership Award (open to all staff)

This Award may be presented to an individual who demonstrates the most outstanding achievements in some or all of the following:

  • Exemplary leadership skills (Internal/External)
  • Building and articulating vision
  • Inspiring collaboration and co-operation
  • Exceptional analytical and decision-making skills
  • Creating sustainable and innovative results

 Examples might include but are not limited to:

    • demonstrating exemplary leadership skills that have a positive impact on a Team &/or Department/School &/or College/University (e.g. increases recogntion of Team &/or Department/School &/or College/University as an exemplar of excellence in teaching &/or research &/or administration; achievement of sustainable results);
    • demonstrating outstanding leadership skills with exernal partners/agencies, strengthening the University's external engagement with, and contribution to society (e.g. key and strategic leadership on external bodies at national and international level; forging active collaborations and alliances with external partners/agenices);
    • effectively building and articulating the vision and mission of a team by fostering motivation of group members and ensuring a deep level of commitment from all team members;
    • inspiring a sense of collaboration, co-operation and trust to enable the team to achieve its defined goals and objectives (e.g. leads by example as teacher/researcher/administrator; creating a work climate that encourages open dialogue and constructive criticism; innovative leadership; respecting and valuing contributions of each member of staff and by remaining true to the highest ethical standards at all times; consensus building; includes all staff in discussions and decision making processes, and accounts for these decisions);
    • exhibiting exceptional analytical and decision making skills in realising the goals and objectives of the team;
    • creating sustainable and/or innovative methods for improving organisational performance and operational efficiency (e.g. securing long-term professional development for the group members of the Team/Department/School/College/University through capacity building including leadership skills in areas of responsibility.  
     

3. Indicative Criteria for the Exceptional Citizen Award (open to all staff)

This Award may be presented to individuals or teams who demonstrate the most outstanding achievements in some or all of the following:

  • Exceptional service to the University and/or wider community
  • Willingness to extend themselves to help others
  • Improving quality of life in the University and/or wider community
  • Exemplifying good citizenship

Examples might include but are not limited to: 

  • demonstrating exceptional service of an altruistic nature for the greater good of the University &/or external environment (e.g. act of bravery, promotion of the equality agenda, humanitarian work, fundraising activities; voluntary participation in community organisations, government sponsored activities);
  • demonstrating evidence of willingness to extend himself/herself/themselves to help other members of the UCC community with a high degree of excellence, professionalism and integrity in the performance of his/her/their work (e.g. demonstrates exceptional service to students and University constituents either directly or by supporting others who provide service to these groups; serves as a model of service to the community; shows imagination, creativity and innovation);
  • contributing significantly to improving the quality of life of his/her/their community;
  • exemplifying good citizenship through personal volunteerism or by helping to position the University as a good citizen in the wider world.

 

4. Indicative Criteria for Enhancing the Student Experience Award (open to all staff)

This Award may be presented to individuals or teams who demonstrate the most outstanding achievements in providing inspiration and innovation in enhancing the student experience. 

Examples might include but are not limited to:

  • the identification and exploitation of opportunities that contribute to supporting students’ academic, personal, social and cultural needs;
  • outstanding contribution to student learning, demonstrating exemplary initiative in offering students a personally &/or intellectually rewarding curricular &/or extracurricular learning experience;
  • involvement of students in University life ‘beyond the classroom’ such that students feel like valued members of the University community;
  • demonstrating outstanding progress in developing flexibility in academic/life- long learning programmes or other services;
  • creating an inclusive student environment that embraces diversity and equality;
  • extending the range of non-academic student activities that take place on the campus and enhancing sports and recreational facilities to give all students a greater opportunity to participate;
  • developing innovative systems and processes that significally enhance the student experience.