Technical Excellence Award Categories Open

Nominations are being accepted for the Papin prizes, awards which celebrate the outstanding work that higher education technicians do, often behind the scenes. Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic the technical community has been at the forefront of transitioning academic teaching online, in making university campuses COVID-secure and in support of world-leading COVID research at universities. A special prize category has been launched to recognise the efforts of a technical team or an individual during the pandemic. Nominations will close on April 30.

Kelly Vere MBE, Technician Commitment lead for the Science Council, and Director of Technical Skills and Strategy, at the University of Nottingham,  said: “Technical colleagues across the sector have been at the forefront of the response to Covid-19, supporting critical research, the national testing programme and aiding the civic response to the pandemic. Technicians have also had to act swiftly in response to new government guidance – including opening up testing sites on campuses and transitioning learning online - and so we look forward to receiving and reading nominations for this extra special COVID Recognition award.”

This awards will be presented at the UK Higher Education Technician Summit (HETS), to be held this year which at the University of Nottingham’s East Midlands Conference Centre.

“HETS focuses on addressing key topics and issues impacting the technical community along with sessions that facilitate the sharing of best practice across the sector.The landscape in terms of the importance of supporting technical colleagues has grown exponentially in recent times. HETS 2021 will see discussions on the progress of the UK’s first technician-focused Policy Commission, and the Government’s recently published R&D Roadmap and planned expansion of Research and Development funding. Without investment and support for the UK’s technical community it will be impossible for the Government to achieve its aspirations of becoming a ‘Science Superpower’ and the increase in R&D funding to get it there, ” added Kelly Vere.

UK HETS is hosted by Midlands Innovation, a partnership of eight universities - Aston, Birmingham, Cranfield, Keele, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham & Warwick -, in partnership with the Science Council.

More information about HETS available online

submissions information online