Professional Services Excellence Awards

Nominations for the Professional Services Excellence Awards 2024 are now open.

Following feedback on the staff engagement survey for more opportunities to provide formal recognition, nominations are now being taken across a variety of categories. This is your opportunity to help us recognise and celebrate our colleagues who have demonstrated outstanding levels of achievement.

The closing date for nominations is 5pm on Monday 13 January 2025. To nominate a colleague or team, complete the nomination form.

Please reference the Awards Criteria below when completing the nomination form.

Awards criteria

The Professional Services Excellence Awards will be decided by a cross university panel who will make a collective decision in determining the award outcome.  In cases where the panel does not agree, the Chair will make the final decision. 

The panel will rely on the evidence below to make their decisions. Only information provided in the formal nomination can be considered. 

1. Excellence Award for Student Focus

This award category recognises an individual or team’s significant contribution to the LJMU Value ‘We are student focused’: 

Caring for our students to give them a transformational student experience 

Our every focus is on the students who come to us to learn, develop, and grow. Here they will discover who they are, and how they are going to change the world. And we will do everything to help them do it. 

Individuals and teams will be evaluated on their contributions to: 

  • Recognising our diverse and international community, and the potential we have to be life-changing to everyone 
  • Having confidence in our students and an appreciation of their life experience. This is vital as we work in partnership with them to support their aspirations 
  • Enhancing our students’ academic and intellectual journey, as well as driving an excellent student experience beyond the classroom 
  • Ensuring that we make a positive difference with every contact 
  • Encouraging our students to be responsible global citizens 
  • Developing a strong sense of pride in our student community 

2. Excellence Award for Inclusivity

This category recognises significant contribution to the LJMU Value ‘We are inclusive’. For this specific category there will be six awards presented, with a team and individual award for each of the Faculty of Society and Culture; for the Faculty of Health, Innovation, Technology and Science; and for the combined Professional Services Divisions. This category is also open to nominations for academic staff. The additional awards within this category allow a balance between acknowledging an individual and a team whose work promotes inclusivity in operational and support functions.

Embracing and respecting diversity

With an open mind to different cultures and experiences, we are passionate about taking positive actions towards greater equality while challenging unfairness. We provide a safe environment for all to flourish and involve individuals and communities in the decisions that impact on them. 

At LJMU, above all else, we want everyone who studies here, works here and works with us, to feel respected, and to respect others, always

Individuals and teams will be evaluated on their contributions to: 

  • Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for students, staff, faculty and professional services areas
  • Promoting understanding, respect, and collaboration across diverse backgrounds
  • Developing or implementing initiatives that address and reduce biases
  • Supporting underrepresented groups, contributing to a more equitable University environment  

3. Excellence Award for Community

This award recognises an individual or team’s significant contribution to the LJMU Value ‘We care about our community’: 

Making a difference to people’s lives

Our staff and students, past, present and future, are the beating heart of our city. We couldn’t exist anywhere else and have shaped this place we belong to. Growing and supporting our community is a commitment to work in partnership on a positive future for those around us. Individuals and teams will be evaluated on their contributions to:

  • Embracing our civic agenda in active partnership with our neighbours in the city region, nationally and globally 
  • Empowering our own community to be active agents of change and transformation 
  • Working in pro-active partnership through energising leadership to transform our neighbourhoods 
  • Making a contribution to building a fairer, greener and more inclusive society, by giving opportunity to under-represented groups 
  • Being pro-active in making a difference to the diverse communities we serve 

4. Excellence Award for Courage 

This award recognises an individual or team’s significant contribution to the LJMU Value ‘We are courageous’: 

Speaking out boldly and acting for change 

The world is changing at incredible speed, and in order to not be left behind we must embrace effective, impactful change, even when this feels uncomfortable. Individuals and teams will be evaluated on demonstrating behaviours that: 

  • Be aspirational as a university community to drive innovation and to spark change 
  • Be courageous in our approach and imaginative in our work 
  • Embrace change and accept that we can challenge the status quo 
  • Speak openly and honestly with each other and act with agency 

5. Technical Excellence Award

This award is given to an individual or team whose exceptional practical skills, commitment and vision have enabled the highest quality teaching, research or knowledge transfer. It aims to reward those who excel in what they do, who “go the extra-mile” in their work, in their contribution to the life of the University and in the provision of support to their colleagues. Nominations should make reference to the Technician Commitment.  

6. Administration Excellence Award

This award recognises an individual or team’s significant contribution to LJMU in an Administration capacity. The winner will have acted as a positive role model by going above and beyond what is expected within their role, delivering an effective and high-quality service. Nominations may, for example, demonstrate collaboration or working in partnership, being open, responsive and innovative.

7. Estate Management and Campus Services Excellence Award

This award recognises an individual and/or team’s significant contribution to LJMU. The winner will have gone above and beyond what is expected within their role. Nominations will show how the institution, the student community or both have benefited from the work and may reflect feedback received from students and colleagues. They may, for example, outline how work improves on standard practice in the sector, addresses new and emerging challenges and opportunities, has been innovative, has challenged established thinking in the sector, reduced costs, developed or encouraged sustainable solutions.