Honours for those who make learning come alive

Fifty-five individuals have been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy, which supports excellence in teaching.

The winners will each receive £10,000 to help continue their professional development in teaching and learning or other aspects of pedagogy.

More than 180 academics from England, Wales and Northern Ireland were nominated for the sector's most prestigious teaching prize.

The successful nominees, who were backed by their institutions, had to show that they performed well on three criteria: individual excellence, raising the profile of excellence and developing excellence.

This year's fellows include academics working in a diverse range of subjects, from neuroscience to photographic art, while a member one university's student affairs team has also been recognised.

One of the new fellows is Brendan Stone, from the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics at the University of Sheffield.

Dr Stone left school at the age of 16 with few qualifications. He was in his mid-thirties when he returned to education on a university access course.

He was nominated for the fellowship for his work on several innovative initiatives, including the Storying Sheffield project - a degree module in which undergraduates and residents of the city study together.

"It's been incredibly heartening to see how participants on Storying Sheffield have built on and used the experience of the course to benefit their careers and lives," Dr Stone said.

"I have worked a great deal with people who have serious mental health problems, and many people who have taken the course have gone on to make positive changes in their lives, including returning to education, taking up volunteering opportunities and gaining employment."

Craig Mahoney, chief executive of the HEA, said the awards helped to recognise and reward excellence within higher education.

"Students deserve - and expect - the best possible learning experience during their time in higher education, and fantastic staff such as the National Teaching Fellows help to deliver this experience," he said.

"I am extremely proud of the HEA in delivering this programme, and I congratulate all successful recipients."

The new teaching fellows will officially receive their awards at a ceremony in London on 10 October.

This year's National Teaching Fellows are:

Heather Barnett, University of Westminster

Brendan Bartram, University of Wolverhampton

Helen Bilton, University of Reading

Stuart Brand, Birmingham City University

Jo Brown, St George's, University of London

Charles Buckley, Bangor University

Gráinne Conole, University of Leicester

Fiona Copland, Aston University

Tony Cowling, University of Sheffield

Gerry Czerniawski, University of East London

Coral Dando, Lancaster University

G. C. Basiro Davey, The Open University

John Davies, Coventry University

Luke Dawson, University of Liverpool

Christine Dearnley, University of Bradford

Paul Farrand, University of Exeter

Suanne Gibson, Plymouth University

Christopher Goldsmith, De Montfort University

Anna Lise Gordon, St Mary's University College

Claire Hamshire, Manchester Metropolitan University

Janet Hargreaves, University of Huddersfield

Paul Hewson, Plymouth University

Sara Holmes, University of Portsmouth

Peter Howarth, Queen Mary, University of London

Rebecca Huxley-Binns, Nottingham Trent University

Stella Jones-Devitt, Sheffield Hallam University

Helen Keegan, University of Salford

David Killick, Leeds Metropolitan University

Fiona Lamb, Loughborough University

Beverly Leeds, University of Central Lancashire

Cristina Leston-Bandeira, University of Hull

Ruth Matheson, Cardiff Metropolitan University

Rachel McCrindle, University of Reading

Undrell Moore, Newcastle University

Jane Morris, University of Brighton

Neil Morris, University of Leeds

Sheila Oliver, Cardiff University

Anita Peleg, London South Bank University

Nicky Reid, University of Roehampton

Laura Ritchie, University of Chichester

Tim Roberts, Conservatoire for Dance and Drama

Zoe Robinson, Keele University

Vivien Rolfe, De Montfort University

Kim Russell, University of Worcester

Jonathan Scott, University of Leicester

Rhona Sharpe, Oxford Brookes University

Ayona Silva-Fletcher, Royal Veterinary College

Brian Smith, Edge Hill University

Steve Stanton, City University London

Brendan Stone, University of Sheffield

Janet Strivens, University of Liverpool

Jane Thomas, Swansea University

Barbara Walsh, Liverpool John Moores University

David Wilson, Birmingham City University

Richard Winsley, University of Exeter