The Pilkington Prize

The Pilkington Prize awards were endowed and inaugurated in 1994 by Sir Alastair Pilkington to acknowledge excellence in teaching. The prizes are awarded to individuals who make a substantial contribution to the teaching programme of a Department, Faculty or the University as a whole. Twelve prizes of £1000 are awarded each year, with nominations made by each of the six Schools. The prizes are awarded annually by the Vice-Chancellor.

You can see all previous Prize Winners here.

Congratulations to the 2025 Prize Winners

For more details of how the winners are selected, please see the Nominations Process.

The 2026 Prize Winners will be announced in March.

Scope of the Pilkington Prize Scheme

All who make a substantial contribution to the teaching programme of a Department, Faculty and / or the University at undergraduate or postgraduate level should be considered for nomination. It is recognised that substantial contributions to teaching excellence are made by colleagues who do not have a direct teaching contract, such as (for example) College Teaching Officers, Associate Lecturers and Affiliated Lecturers.

In recognition of the richness and diversity of undergraduate and postgraduate education at Cambridge, detailed criteria have not been specified for the Pilkington Teaching Prizes. Cases for nomination might, however, address points such as the following:

  • major contributions to teaching and assessment within the Department, Faculty or University - for example: introducing a new course or revising an existing course; devising new approaches to teaching and/or teaching materials; innovative use of technology; setting up new opportunities for student learning; proactive involvement in teaching/education committees;
  • major contributions to teaching beyond Cambridge - for example: significant contribution to a summer school; outreach work with schools;
  • engagement with and feedback from students;
  • enthusiasm for the subject, and ability to provide challenging and stimulating teaching at all levels.
     

Please note that this list is not intended to be prescriptive.

For further details and dates, please see the Nominations Process page.