Announcing the winners of the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards 2025
Confirming the winners, highly commended and finalists of the University-wide celebration of our outstanding people
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The University celebrated commitment to excellence as the winners of the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards 2025 were announced - The awards recognise the achievements and the success of staff across the collegiate University
- The winners and highly commended nominations were confirmed at a special ceremony at the Sheldonian Theatre on 15 May
More than 1,300 individuals were nominated this year for the awards, which recognise the commitment and excellence of academics, researchers, professional and support staff across every part of the collegiate University.
The winners and highly commended nominations were confirmed at a special ceremony at the Sheldonian Theatre.
The Vice-Chancellor hosted the ceremony and presented the awards.
The Awards Ceremony and Showcase this year truly captured the very best of Oxford, celebrating the impact we have not only within the University but also in our wider community and across the globe. By bringing together academics, researchers, professional services and support staff, and external partners, I hope these awards will help spark new ideas, inspire collaboration and encourage us all to keep delivering excellence in our core mission of teaching and research.
– Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor CBE FRS FMedSci
Congratulations to Oxford
Attendees celebrating winners of the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution 2025 (©John Cairns Photography)
Teams and individuals from across the University and beyond were delighted to be recognised:
View a list of the winners, highly commended and finalists
Oxford Young Sport Leaders Programme – Winners of the Local Community Engagement Award 2025 (©John Cairns Photography)
Winners of the Local Community Engagement Award – Trinity College: Outreach and access in Oxfordshire (©John Cairns Photography)
Oxford SDG Impact Lab is extremely honoured to be shortlisted for this award. The team has worked really hard over the last few years to implement the programme which bridges sport, education, and mentorship to inspire local young people and strengthen ties with the city. The biggest impact this award can have is to increase the visibility of the programme, because it is so important that we are more inclusive as a University, go beyond town and gown, and give these students a chance to experience not only the University, but also gain self-confidence in sports activities and go beyond their current horizon.
– Dr Susann Stritzke, Senior Programme Manager, Oxford SDG Impact Lab, Oxford Young Sport Leaders Programme
Outstanding Contribution Award
The ‘Uncovering Oxfordshire’s “dinosaur highway”’ team were awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution. This award is given to a team or individual that has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to supporting the University's mission.
After an Oxfordshire quarry worker stumbled upon dinosaur footprints, Oxford University Museum of Natural History sprang into action, spearheading an intense seven-day excavation. Volunteers were sourced from across the Museum of Natural History. This uncovered the world’s fifth longest dinosaur trackway, with 200 footprints meticulously documented for research. Through global media outreach, events, and exhibitions, public excitement was sparked worldwide.
Uncovering Oxfordshire’s ‘dinosaur highway’ - Winners of the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution 2025 (©John Cairns Photography)
We have been absolutely blown away by how many people have engaged with this story – locally, nationally and globally. What made this project truly special was the collaboration and inclusivity, with Smiths Bletchington, with the University’s Public Affairs Team, and the University of Birmingham. We removed as many barriers as we could to participation and were able to ensure the safety of dozens of volunteers. Winning the Outstanding Contribution Award has come as a genuine surprise. These Awards are such an amazing way to share your research with colleagues and to interact with other people's research.
– Quote from the Uncovering Oxfordshire's 'dinosaur highway' team
Listen to the Dinosaur Highway Podcast by Oxford Sparks
Celebrating at the Awards Showcase
As part of the celebrations, a showcase of the shortlisted nominations took place at the Weston Library on Tuesday 13 May. Staff and members of the public were invited to attend the Awards Showcase exhibition to meet the nominees presenting their work through exhibition stands and interactive stalls.
Nominees also delivered ‘flash talks’ on topics ranging from operationalising carbon footprint data, helping to end the death penalty in Africa, widening student access and outreach, inspiring EDI commitment, to immersive approaches in teaching and learning. These talks were chaired by senior leaders of the University, including Professor Alex Betts, Professor Chas Bountra, Professor Simon Park, Professor Nandini Gooptu and Professor David Gavaghan.
Across the world, we are facing enormous challenges in healthcare, climate emergency, inequality... Fortunately, in this amazing university of ours we have colleagues researching and developing solutions in all these areas. We of course cannot tackle these problems on our own – we have to leverage our global networks in industry, funders, policymakers, other universities and governments, and use the might of our alumni community. We need to bring scale and urgency to all these problems. The world is looking to this great university to improve the planet and make people's lives better.
– Professor Chas Bountra, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Innovation
An interactive showcase trail also took place at Blackwell Hall, encouraging visitors to find out about how the nominees’ work supports three key aspects of the University's culture: EDI, sustainability and safety.
It's really nice to win, but actually, just having the Awards Showcase in the Weston Library on Tuesday is a really nice recognition of working very hard. You also get to hear about all of the other projects, and you get to see the other projects. I think it's really rewarding, and it's a testament to the Vice-Chancellor showing us that she appreciates what people are doing.
– Professor Jacinta O'Shea, Finalist Vice-Chancellor’s Research Engagement Award 2025: ‘BReal: Building stress resilience in early adolescents’ lives’
Finalists for the Teaching and Learning Award: Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health: Preparing the next generation for outbreak preparedness and response (©Cyrus Mower Photography)
Through our partnerships with leading global institutions like Oxford University and ISARIC, we are shaping transformative learning experiences that prepare students for the complex realities of global health emergencies. Being here at the Awards, surrounded by such impactful initiatives, is incredibly inspiring and an honour for our work to be recognized.
– Dr Renée Christensen, Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) at WHO, one of the partner organisations for ‘Preparing the next generation for outbreak preparedness and response'
Some highlights from the Awards Showcase, ©Cyrus Mower Photography
Your feedback matters
All staff are invited to provide their feedback about the 2025 awards (whether you were involved in the awards or not) before 31 May. This survey asks for feedback about all parts of the awards this year – from the nominations process to the ceremony and celebration.
An attendee sharing feedback at the Awards Showcase, Blackwell Hall (©Cyrus Mower Photography)
Looking forward to future awards
Planning will shortly get underway for the next Vice-Chancellor's Awards, which are expected to take place in 2026. Information about how to make a nomination will follow in due course.
Dr Joshua Bull, Winner of the Breakthrough Researcher Award 2025 (©John Cairns Photography)
I’d definitely encourage people to nominate and try to recognise the people in departments who aren’t necessarily getting recognition elsewhere – that's especially true for postdocs without a college affiliation, and staff on short-term contracts. If you’re thinking about nominating someone, go for it!
– Dr Joshua Bull, Associate Research Fellow at Reuben College and postdoctoral researcher at the Mathematical Institute
I’m really grateful to the people who nominated us, because it’s allowed us to be here and take part in the Awards Showcase, and also feel that we’ve been recognised for what we’ve done. My advice to anyone who is not sure whether to do it or not would be: nominate someone.
– Dr Jo Begbie, Director of the Astrophoria Foundation Year Programme, Astrophoria Foundation Year, Winner of the Vice-Chancellor’s Innovative Teaching and Assessment Award 2025
Winners of the Teaching and Learning Award 2025 – Diversity in Death and Dying: Medical Student Museum Experience (©John Cairns Photography)
This is a university in which there are innumerable diverse parts, which, when they collaborate with each other, imaginatively and creatively and rigorously, are capable of doing far more than we possibly can do by ourselves. These Awards showcase that there is potential in the University for collaboration between parts which apparently have no relation, but when you find the right colleagues are capable of doing something quite extraordinary.
– Quote from Jane Hanna, Dr Jim Harris and Dr Gina Hadley, members of the 'Diversity in Death and Dying: Medical Student Museum Experience' project team
More information is available on the Awards webpage.
