NU Teaching Awards
The NU Teaching Awards celebrate excellence, innovation and impact in teaching, educational leadership, and the support of student learning. The awards recognise the contributions of faculty, professional staff and student assistants who enrich learning experiences, foster student success and strengthen the University’s teaching and learning community.
Award categories
Recognises exceptional achievements by educators in the first five years of their higher education
teaching careers. The award celebrates learner-centred teaching, demonstrable impact on student
learning, commitment to professional development and promising contributions to educational practice.
teaching careers. The award celebrates learner-centred teaching, demonstrable impact on student
learning, commitment to professional development and promising contributions to educational practice.
Recognises sustained excellence in teaching among experienced educators. It celebrates engaging,
inclusive and evidence-informed teaching practices that support deep learning and student success,
alongside continued innovation and professional growth.
inclusive and evidence-informed teaching practices that support deep learning and student success,
alongside continued innovation and professional growth.
Recognises individuals or teams in professional learning-support roles who make a meaningful
difference to students’ learning experiences and success. The award celebrates accessible, inclusive
and innovative services and initiatives that help students develop confidence, independence and the
skills needed to thrive.
difference to students’ learning experiences and success. The award celebrates accessible, inclusive
and innovative services and initiatives that help students develop confidence, independence and the
skills needed to thrive.
Celebrates innovative teamwork and collaboration across disciplines, academic units or external
organisations to enrich student learning. It recognises student-centred initiatives that bring together
diverse perspectives, create meaningful educational impact and demonstrate potential for sustained
collaboration.
organisations to enrich student learning. It recognises student-centred initiatives that bring together
diverse perspectives, create meaningful educational impact and demonstrate potential for sustained
collaboration.
Recognises learning and teaching initiatives that extend Nazarbayev University’s educational expertise
beyond the campus and contribute to wider communities in Kazakhstan and the region. The award
celebrates meaningful, reciprocal knowledge exchange, collaborative learning experiences and
demonstrable benefits for partner institutions and communities.
beyond the campus and contribute to wider communities in Kazakhstan and the region. The award
celebrates meaningful, reciprocal knowledge exchange, collaborative learning experiences and
demonstrable benefits for partner institutions and communities.
Recognises outstanding contributions by student assistants, including graduate teaching assistants,
classroom assistants and writing centre interns, who enhance the learning experiences of their peers.
The award celebrates effective learning facilitation, inclusive student support, innovative practice and a
commitment to continuous improvement.
classroom assistants and writing centre interns, who enhance the learning experiences of their peers.
The award celebrates effective learning facilitation, inclusive student support, innovative practice and a
commitment to continuous improvement.
Recognises outstanding educational leadership that has made a sustained and meaningful contribution
to excellence in learning and teaching within a School or across Nazarbayev University. The award
honours those who inspire and support colleagues, champion educational innovation and professional
development, and strengthen the institutional culture of teaching excellence.
to excellence in learning and teaching within a School or across Nazarbayev University. The award
honours those who inspire and support colleagues, champion educational innovation and professional
development, and strengthen the institutional culture of teaching excellence.
Teaching Awards 2026
Selection Process
Selection Process
The 2026 Teaching Awards followed a two-stage assessment process: individual evaluation of nominees’ portfolios against category-specific criteria, followed by a final moderation meeting of the judging panel. The process was coordinated by the Center for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT).
The awards received 169 nominations recognising 51 unique nominees in 2026.
