Awards and Fellowships

Nominations for Morley Awards are now open; closing date is 28 March 2024. See below for details on nominations process.

Morley College London’s Awards and Fellowships scheme is designed both to celebrate the achievements of members of the wider Morley family, and to recognise individuals who share our values and aspirations, and reflect the diversity of our community.

Fellowships

Fellowships are awarded to individuals who have been members of the college community as students, members of staff or governors.

The Fellowship recognises an outstanding contribution to any or all of the following:

  • the life of the college;
  • the college’s mission of empowering individuals and strengthening communities through adult education;
  • how, during their time at Morley, they upheld and promoted the college’s values;
  • how, through their public profile and/or professional engagement, they have continued to promote Morley’s mission, vision and values.

Fellowships are awarded for life and though there is no limit to the number of Fellowships that may be awarded, the Governing Body is unlikely to award more than three Fellowships in any year. There is no expectation that any minimum number of Fellows (or any Fellows) will be appointed in any year.

Current Morley Fellows:

Awards

Morley College London Awards acknowledge a moment in time, recognising achievement (particularly when associated with current or potential future contribution) by:

  • someone who through their life and work has inspired others to learn for life;
  • someone who embodies the transformative power of education and recognises the role of education in supporting their success;
  • a high-profile champion of education and learning;
  • a subject specialist who has furthered or is furthering knowledge, understanding and creative practice;
  • someone who has influenced or is influencing public policy in ways that may lead to increased participation in learning; or
  • someone from outside the Morley community who has made a significant commitment and contribution to the life and work of the college.

Awards are made on an annual basis in one of two forms:

  • The Morley College London Learning for Life Award, presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the policy, practice, delivery and impact of lifelong learning.
  • The Morley College London Inspire Ambition Award, presented to an individual whose contribution is more indirectly connected to lifelong learning but who in life and work has inspired others to learn.

There will normally be no more than one award in each category in any year, but the selectors may vary this rule where there is a reason to do so.

Former recipients:

Nominations for 2024

Nominations for the Morley Awards 2024 (to be presented in July 2024) are now open; the deadline for submission is Thursday 28 March 2024. Please see below for details.

Nominations process

  • Nominations may only be proposed by Morley College London Governors, Staff, Students, Fellows and former Award Recipients.
  • Nominations must be made using the online Awards and Fellowships nomination form.
  • Nominations will be considered by the Senior Leadership Team, who will put forward suggestions to a subgroup of the Governing Body (the “External Relations Committee”.) Collectively, we refer to these groups as ‘selectors’.
  • In assessing nominees, selectors will:
    • make a judgement on the extent to which the nominees meet the criteria for Awards and Fellowships as detailed above;
    • be mindful of the quality of the nomination submission itself;
    • undertake an analysis of the strategic impact of any award or fellowship given the objective of the scheme to drive awareness of Morley within the communities we serve;
    • undertake a risk assessment of any nomination; and
    • consider the extent to which nominees are representative of the diversity of the communities the College serves.

General nominations guidance

  • Proposers, who can be Morley College London Governors, Staff, Students or former Award/Fellowship recipients, are required to provide sufficient detail in the Nomination Form about their nominee to enable the selectors to make a reasoned judgement about the merit of the nomination.
  • Nominations may indicate that they are for a Fellowship or one or other category of Award, but the selectors will have absolute discretion to vary this.
  • The decision of the Board is final and selectors will not enter into any correspondence about their recommendations or decisions, nor will they inform the proposer of the success or otherwise of the nomination.
  • Awards will be made at the college’s annual Awards Ceremony, and announced prior to this via the college’s website and other communications channels.
  • If proposers wish unsuccessful nominations to be reconsidered at a later date, the nomination procedure must be followed as if submitting a new nomination.
  • Incomplete nominations, or those submitted outside the formal process, will not be considered by the selectors.
  • The principal component of the nomination is a citation of up to 500 words, which should describe what is special about the nominee’s achievements and demonstrate effectively how they have made a difference in the field of education. The strongest nominations will demonstrate the impact the individual has made, and any obstacles or barriers they have overcome in doing so. Clear examples of impact within the citation are welcome.
  • Citations of over 500 words will render the nomination void and the selectors will not consider them.