Academics from Royal Holloway have been shortlisted in two categories for the prestigious THE Awards 2024, widely known as the "Oscars of higher education".
Dr Danijela Serbic (L) and Professor Felix Driver (R)
The first academic to be shortlisted is Professor Danijela Serbic from the Department of Psychology for the award of Most Innovative Teacher of the Year. The award recognises the academic whose imagination and passion have transformed a course and inspired students.
During a period of time when higher education poses uncertainties for both staff and students, Dr Danijela Serbic has developed innovated approaches and opportunities to enhance the career development of students and the staff who educate them.
Through her teaching and coordination of the psychology final year research project, she has embedded employability through the 3R model she developed: Recognise, Reflect, Relate. Danijela established and leads the group THESIS: Teaching in Higher Education: Supporting and Inspiring Students (THESIS).
This pedagogic group has a multifaceted approach to supporting the career development of education focused academic staff, and in turn supporting the academic development, employability and wellbeing of students. THESIS provides infrastructure and support in developing pedagogic research and translating these findings into educational practice, along with providing opportunities for students to co-produce events to support student employability and wellbeing.
Dr Danijela Serbic said: “I am honoured to be shortlisted for this prestigious teaching award. It is a privilege to have my dedication to education recognised, and it inspires me to continue supporting psychology education and the career development of my students and colleagues.”
Another academic is Professor Felix Driver, from the Department of Geography, has been shortlisted for Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year award. This award recognises an individual who has created the most supportive, stimulating and inspirational research environment for doctoral students.
Professor Felix Driver has supervised PhDs from the UK and abroad and has an enviable success rate, with his students moving on to incredible career journeys: from the British Library and Kew Gardens, to professorships at universities, with three former students becoming postgraduate research managers at Oxford, Bristol and a Collaborative Doctoral Partnership.
Felix has also made a notable commitment to Collaborative Doctoral Projects by devising and co-supervising collections-based doctoral research projects with external partners, including Kew Gardens, the Royal Geographical Society, Science Museum, National Maritime Museum and the British Library. He has, to date, has won funding for 18 AHRC and ESRC Collaborative Doctoral studentships, 12 as lead applicant, including two new AHRC awards with Kew and the RGS starting in September 2024.
Professor Felix Driver commented: “Of the many things that Universities do, the PhD is the most special. That is why many other organisations collaborate with universities to design and co-supervise PhD projects - including, in the arts and humanities, museums, libraries, galleries and botanical gardens.
“The collaborative PhD is one of the great success stories of UK higher education but we don’t celebrate it enough. I am very pleased to be shortlisted for this award as a way of highlighting the value of the PhD at a moment when UK higher education needs to show what makes our universities special places in which to learn, experiment and create better worlds.”
John Gill, Times Higher Education editor, said: “This year’s THE Awards mark the 20th anniversary of the event, which over the last two decades has celebrated the wonderful achievements of a sector that has undergone extraordinary transformation without ever losing sight of the vital role it plays across the UK and Ireland.
“In 2024 it’s fair to say that higher education is going through a challenging period, but these awards are a constant reminder that we should never underestimate the dedication and drive of those who work in our universities to transforming lives for the better.
“Enthusiasm for these awards as a way to celebrate those achievements remains undimmed, with more entries in our 20th year than ever before.
“Our sincere congratulations to all those shortlisted in such a competitive year – it really is an achievement to have reached this stage, and we very much look forward to celebrating with you all at our 20th birthday party in Birmingham on 28 November.”
The winners will be revealed on 28 November 2024.
