RTEA Guidelines
RTEA Indicators of Excellence
1. Nomination Stage:
The Regional Teaching Excellence Award is open to all staff who teach at MIC, UL and TUS who have not received the award in the last five years.
Staff can self-nominate or be nominated by a colleague, including a Head of Department/Function. The nomination form must be completed by Friday 25th September 2026, 12 noon..
RTEA Nomination Form2. Shortlisting Stage
This submission should incorporate an initial teaching philosophy statement followed by an overview of your pedagogical approaches to, and achievements in, learning, teaching and assessment. This might include curriculum planning and design, assessment and feedback, influencing or leading change, and your commitment to professional development (no more than 1,500 words). You will include and refer to evidence which supports your claims of excellence in teaching, learning, assessment or feedback as an appendix to your shortlisting submission. You are required to include some evidence at this point and those who are shortlisted as finalists will be expected to compile a more comprehensive portfolio of evidence.
Please see the Regional Partners Indicators of Excellence (see Appendix 1), which will provide a helpful framework to document and reflect on your teaching.
Please provide a title page (not included in word count) to include nominee name, faculty, department, institution, discipline and number of years teaching. This submission should be saved as one file named as Surname_Firstname and emailed to Dr Catherine-Ann O’Connell: catherineann.oconnell@tus.ie by Monday, 16th November 2026, at 12 noon.
The applications will be reviewed by external experts. A maximum of three applications from each partner institution from within the regional cluster will be shortlisted. We anticipate that the outcome of the shortlisting process will be communicated by Wednesday, 16th December 2026.
An information session for candidates on the shortlisting process is available on Friday October 2nd at 1pm. To register please click on the following link: Regional Teaching Excellence Awards 2025/26 Information Session
3. Final Portfolio Stage
The shortlisted institutional applicants will progress to consideration for the Regional Teaching Excellence Award. There are two elements to this submission where candidates:
- Develop their portfolio, based on the initial submission (not to exceed 4,000 words, excluding tables, appendices, cover page etc.)
- Include a sample of their recorded teaching, which can be one teaching session, or two teaching sessions, totalling up to 20 minutes.
This submission should be saved as one file named as: Surname_Firstname and emailed to Dr Catherine-Ann O’Connell: catherineann.oconnell@tus.ie on Monday, 19th April 2027 at 12 noon.
The applications are reviewed by an external international panel who will adjudicate the awards and provide comprehensive feedback to all candidates.
4. Recognition and acknowledgement
All finalists will be invited to attend an RTEA awards ceremony where their individual achievements will be celebrated. They will also be invited to join the Regional Teaching Excellence Fellowship network.
The regional award winner will receive a financial award of €3,000 which will be paid into an institute account, and can be used to:
- Support teaching and learning enhancement.
- Support professional development in teaching and learning.
- Disseminate teaching and learning enhancement and practices.
- Develop and/or disseminate teaching and learning resources.
- Support research related to teaching and learning, including dissemination.
5. Future participation
Please note that applicants who were not shortlisted previously may apply again at any stage. Finalists can engage once again after a three-year period. The rationale for this stipulation is that it allows time for the individual to evolve and develop their practice based on feedback and to reflect on it within a portfolio. The experience of reflecting on your teaching should strengthen your practice as a teacher and should put you in a stronger position when you submit a subsequent application
RTEA FAQ’s
FAQs
The award is open to all teaching staff in the partner institutions of the Midwest regional cluster (i.e. MIC, TUS and UL).
There are three stages to the overall regional award process:
1.Nomination stage
Nomination stage: Teaching staff may nominate themselves, or indeed nominate a colleague, for the award. In order to nominate yourself or a colleague, you will be invited to submit a nomination form to your local, employing institution by Friday 25th September 2026, 12 noon.
2.Shortlisting stage
Support will be provided to assist you in the preparation of an initial teaching philosophy statement followed by an overview of your pedagogical approaches to and achievements in learning, teaching and assessment. This is to be submitted to your local institution by Monday 16th November 2026. This is reviewed by an international review panel who will provide a shortlist of no more than three candidates in each of the participating institutions to progress to the final stage of the process. We anticipate that the outcome of the shortlisting process will be communicated by Wednesday 16th December, 2026.
3.Final Portfolio Submission
Each finalist will submit a complete teaching portfolio to an external panel for consideration for the regional award by Monday 19th April, 2027.
No.
No. The process for consideration for the regional award requires applicants to first apply to their local, employing institution. Up to three finalists from each partner institution may be shortlisted and invited to submit for consideration for the regional award.
The time commitment will really depend on how much work you have already done in reflecting on and providing evidence of your performance and impact as a teacher. Therefore, it is likely to differ from candidate to candidate.
Applicants who were not shortlisted previously may apply again at any stage. Finalists can engage once again after a three-year period. The rationale for this stipulation is that it allows time for the individual to evolve and develop their practice based on feedback and to reflect on it within a portfolio. The experience of reflecting on your teaching should strengthen your practice as a teacher and should put you in a stronger position when you submit a subsequent application.
Your teaching portfolio can include evidence of innovative approaches linked to the RTEA Indicators of Excellence (see Appendix 1). Further information will be provided at support sessions.
For shortlisting stage, you are required to prepare your teaching philosophy and evidence of teaching excellence, which should not exceed 1500 words. (See guidance document for further details).
Once shortlisted, the final portfolio that is prepared by finalists, should not exceed 4,000 words. A selection of appropriately signposted appendices may accompany each portfolio. Your entire portfolio should be submitted in one electronic file or as an ePortfolio using a platform of your choice for consideration by the external panel.
On-going support will be available from Teaching and Learning personnel throughout the process. An initial workshop on the process will take place online on Friday 2nd October, 1-2pm. Follow up supports, including writing sessions, will be offered throughout the process.
All finalists will be invited to attend an RTEA awards ceremony where their individual achievements will be celebrated. They will also be invited to join the Regional Teaching Excellence Fellowship network.
The award winner will receive a financial award of €3,000 which will be paid into an institute account, and can be used to:
- Support teaching and learning enhancement.
- Support professional development in teaching and learning.
- Disseminate teaching and learning enhancement and practices.
- Develop and/or disseminate teaching and learning resources.
- Support research related to teaching and learning, including dissemination.
Yes. Your application will be reviewed by an external shortlisting panel, who will provide feedback on your portfolio which might help you to sustain and enhance your teaching performance impact in the future. Finalists will also receive feedback from the adjudication panel.
No. Differences between disciplinary areas will be considered and you will not be disadvantaged if you teach in an area that students typically find difficult or challenging.
As teaching and learning is becoming an increasing focus of strategic attention across further and higher education, being a finalist for, or winning, this award provides clear evidence of your commitment to teaching and your performance as a teacher. The process of preparing a teaching portfolio will provide you with an opportunity to reflect on and gain increased insight into your practice as a higher education teacher. Finalists will also be invited to join the Regional Teaching Excellence Fellowship network which will offer valuable networking and peer practice sharing opportunities.
No. However, a detailed portfolio, produced according to principles of national and international best practice, may position you very well for achieving accreditation if you decide to pursue this option subsequently nationally and internationally.
Peer Observation
Peer Observation is a supportive, voluntary initiative designed to help you evolve your teaching practice. To support your application for the Regional Teaching Excellence Award, we highly recommend participating in this process. It involves inviting a trusted colleague to observe a session and provide constructive feedback on your delivery, focusing on clarity, pacing, and student engagement. This confidential, formative collaboration offers fresh perspectives on your classroom impact and provides valuable insights at any stage of your career.
Peer Observation Template (Face to Face)
Peer Observation Template (Synchronous)
Peer Observation Template (Asynchronous)
RTEA Ceremony 2025/26
The 2025/26 awards ceremony was hosted by Mary Immaculate College (MIC) on Thursday, 4 June, to celebrate educators who demonstrate excellence, innovation and impact in teaching and learning and forms part of a collaborative initiative between MIC, the University of Limerick (UL) and the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).
Since last October, a number of candidates from the three institutions have undergone the very rigorous process of compiling a detailed teaching portfolio comprising multiple sources of evidence of excellent practice.
From TUS, finalists included Dr Sergii Kushch, Lecturer in Computer Networks and Mathematics, Alan Maguire, Lecturer in Electrical and Manufacturing Apprenticeship Programmes, and Dr Clodagh Reid, Lecturer in Technology Education. All candidates were commended for their commitment to student-centred learning, reflective practice and excellence in teaching.
Speaking following the awards, Professor Vincent Cunnane congratulated the TUS finalists and remarked:
“You embody the principles of inclusion, innovation, and creativity in your practice. You are the architects of engaging learning experiences, the mentors who guide, and the innovators who adapt and lead change. You don’t just teach subjects; you nurture potential, spark curiosity, and build confidence. You create learning environments where students feel seen, heard, and supported to achieve their very best.”
RTEA Ceremony 2024/25
Regional Teaching Excellence Awards, 2024/25
In May 2025, the RTEA ceremony was held in the TUS Moylish campus. Seven outstanding teachers from across the region were recognised at the ceremony, hosted by the Presidents of three institutions. From TUS, finalists included Damien O’Connell, Programme Coordinator in Critical and Contextual Studies, Limerick School of Art and Design and Gianna Tomasso, Programme Leader for the MA in Instructional and Learning Design, Limerick School of Art and Design.
Both of the TUS finalists pictured below, with the President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane, were highly commended by the panel for their work.
Contact Information
For further information please contact Dr Catherine-Ann O’Connell: catherineann.oconnell@tus.ie