Inspiring and Innovative Teaching Award, University of Bristol, 2020
In 2020 I was awarded the Inspiring and Innovative Teaching Award, having been nominated by students at the University of Bristol for my role as Senior Lecturer in Design Innovation. The award is student-led and is presented to one lecturer per faculty each year, representing the highest institutional recognition for teaching excellence.
The award acknowledged my commitment to inclusive, participatory approaches to learning and the impact of this work on students’ experiences. As an educator, being recognised by students for having made a positive difference to their learning and development was a particularly meaningful honour.
As part of the award, I delivered the Best of Bristol Lecture 2020, titled “Disability, Innovation and Culture: Lovely Cats Made of Care Bears’ Leggings”. The lecture explored the importance of inclusion within innovation and design culture. A recording of the lecture and an accompanying interview about my teaching practice were published on the Bristol Institute for Learning and Teaching blog here: https://bilt.online/best-of-bristol-keir-williams/