The Teaching Hero Awards learning impact awards were first launched in January 2014. The awards are run in partnership with the Union of students of Ireland (USI). Students can nominate their teaching hero by completing an online nomination form, which includes the reasons why a staff member is a teaching hero as well as the impact this has had on the students teaching and learning experience. The campaign is run locally by the student’s union office within each institution.
This resource captures key insights from a full-day workshop held on 8 May 2025, hosted by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and led by internationally recognised expert Dr Alison Cook-Sather. The event focused on the transformative potential of authentic student-staff partnerships as a strategic approach to advancing student engagement, success, and institutional effectiveness.
Attended by academic staff, institutional leaders, student success professionals, and sector partners from across Ireland, the workshop featured a combination of keynote presentations, lightning talks, and interactive sessions. Through real-world examples and hands-on activities, participants explored how to build meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable collaboration between students and staff.
For the full event schedule and a complete list of lightning talk contributors to this slide deck, visit the workshop schedule.
