Axians have sponsored the Outstanding Project of the Year award.
Outstanding Project of the Year
An award for an outstanding project or cross-service collaboration which has had significant impact on the University, Service, or College.
The shortlisted nominees in this category are:
- iExeter App
- Higher Education Achievement Report team
- Exeter Progression
- Students as Change Agents
- Penryn BSc Business Programme team
iExeter App
The iExeter App has been nominated because:
- The app has seen an incredible rise in usage (280 per cent) and feedback in the past year, providing an important tool for students and other users.
- The app has risen from 8 to 23 million hits, with progress drawing on continual student consultation.
- A range of new features have been added including a tool for checking bin days, an open day planner, voting during Sabbatical elections, and Freespace (a tool to check for available space on campus).
Key quote from a nominator:
“I had opportunity to be a beta-tester for the iExeter app for about 6 months. When I started my PhD two years ago I did not use the app very frequently but have found that the recent improvements really helped in various ways. The latest addition, the SID integration is another such example that really shows how the app responds to student needs. This continuous improvement and user engagement is great and I hope it will continue.”
Higher Education Achievement Report team
The Higher Education Achievement Report team have been nominated because:
- Complex systems have been integrated and online systems developed to collate extracurricular information for students at University.
- More than 3500 graduates received a transcript of their activities, recording more than 5000 individual achievements.
- The team worked across departments and organisations to pull together and communicate the system within a tight timeframe
Key quote from a nominator:
“The HEAR supports Aim 2 of the Education Strategy by providing verifiable information about extracurricular activities. By making extracurricular activities more visible through HEAR the hope is that more students will engage in a wider range of activities that enable them to develop the skills that employers want.”
Exeter Progression
Exeter Progression (led by Mel Ruddock) has been nominated because:
- The project provides sixth form students with advice and guidance about Higher Education (it has been formed from what was the STAR programme).
- Consisting of a 2 year programme of activities for south west based participants and a four day intensive summer residential for students from across the UK, a total of 18 different subject strands were delivered in 2015, alongside live online Q&A forums and a dedicated e-newsletter.
- On successful completion, participants are entitled to an alternative offer of two A level grades or equivalent below the standard entry offer for all courses at the University.
Key quote from a nominator:
“The Exeter Progression Programme has proved to be a truly original and inspiring set of activities and one that allows multiple disciplines to address student recruitment in specific WP target areas. As convenor of the Exeter Progression to Geography Programme, it was a privilege to work with the team and to engage with the opportunities afforded in creating such a great impact-related programme.”
Students as Change Agents
Students as Change Agents has been nominated because:
- The scheme supports students who come forward with ideas to change the student experience, ranging from small to large projects.
- 120 projects were supported in the past year; double the previous record.
- Students have been supported by team members in each College, with each project having a positive impact on the student experience.
Key quote from a nominator:
“The project has greatly enhanced my experience as a student here at Exeter. I learned general employability skills from the Career Zone and more specific ones from Education and Student Experience, e.g. Being a Trainer. I put these skills into practice by running a Change Agents project. For the second consecutive year, I’ve been part of a sub-project called Technology Champion, which sets a platform for technology enthusiasts like me to share my skills and experience with others in University, no matter what my degree is.”
Penryn BSc Business Programme team
The Penryn BSc Business Programme team have been nominated because:
- It is the first BSc Business programme to be offered at Penryn Campus (and in Cornwall), involving 12 months of hard work and dedication from team members.
- The team developed a bespoke marketing campaign, recruiting students on a personal level.
- The cohort target was broken with 37 students recruited, including 11 international students.
Key quote from a nominator:
“Target numbers aside, this experience shows what can be achieved when a thoughtful and personalised approach is developed to solve a problem, rather than presuming that a ‘cookie-cutter’ approach will suit all. The passion of those involved with BSc Business this year is reflected in every one of our students stepping foot onto the Penryn campus this September and will no doubt continue as we ramp up activities for 2016!”
