The Vice Chancellor launched The Warwick Awards for Teaching Excellence in December 2002, as an opportunity to recognise and celebrate Warwick staff whose teaching is of a particularly high standard. All staff who teach at Warwick are eligible for an award, which may be for teaching of any kind, whether undergraduate, postgraduate or post-experience. There were two new awards were made this year -

The Butterworth Memorial Award for excellent teaching in the early stages (normally up to six years) of an academic career The best nomination by a student or group of students. The 2004 Awards were presented at the degree ceremony by The Vice Chancellor Professor David VandeLinde on 15 July 2004 to Dr Tony Arber from the Physics Department, Dr Francis Botchway from the School of Law, Dr Andrew Parker from the Department of Sociology, Dr Jim Shields of French Studies and Dr Alison Cooley from the Department of Classics and Ancient History.

The portfolios were judged against a number of criteria. Amongst other factors, panel members looked for evidence that effective learning had taken place, that the nominee's teaching was innovative and that a wide range of people - particularly students - would attest to that excellence. Centrally, in a research-led university, the panel wanted to know if the nominee had make links between their research and their teaching.

Ekuru Aukot who led Francis Bothaway's bid by PhD students says 'This means a lot for teaching staff at Warwick. I hope it would encourage positive competition and the quest for academic excellence in the light of the prize that would eventually facilitate research. I chose Francis because he is an enthusiastic and excellent teacher. Besides I thought his skills should not just be confined with the classes he teaches. He exhibits his excellence in his publications, which as a postgraduate I benefit from.'

Jeremy Ahearne, Jim Shields' sponsor comments "I was very pleased to nominate Jim Shields for a Teaching Excellence Award, as this seemed like a welcome opportunity to give appropriate recognition to his achievements in this respect. The preparation of the portfolio was instructive in itself. Not only were past and present students only too happy to be given the chance to celebrate a demanding and inspiring teacher; their testimonials also contained for this reader a wealth of practical suggestions on what constitutes effective teaching."

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