Excellence of UCD staff recognised at 2025 Teaching and Learning Awards
28 January 2025
The 2025 Teaching Excellence Awardees
15 awardees have been named as this years’ recipients of the UCD Teaching and Learning Awards after thousands in the UCD community sought to recognise those who had a positive impact on student studies.
The highest honour bestowed by UCD for teaching and learning, the Awards recognise individual faculty and staff in teaching roles or student learning support who demonstrate a sustained dedication to teaching excellence.
There were ten recipients for the Teaching Excellence Award, and five for the Award for Exceptional Contribution to Learning. The two honours equally make up the Teaching and Learning Awards.
The 2025 Teaching Excellence Awardees are:
- (opens in a new window)Professor Oonagh Breen, UCD School of Law
- (opens in a new window)Dr Sarah Comyn, UCD School of English, Drama and Film
- (opens in a new window)Professor Eileen Gibney, UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science
- (opens in a new window)Associate Professor Mary Higgins, UCD School of Medicine
- (opens in a new window)Professor Colm McLaughlin, UCD School of Business
- (opens in a new window)Mrs Kathleen O’Reilly, UCD School of Business
- (opens in a new window)Dr Adamaria Perrotta, UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics
- (opens in a new window)Dr Nicolas Pillai, UCD School of English, Drama and Film
- (opens in a new window)Associate Professor Susan Rackard, UCD School of Veterinary Medicine
- Associate Professor Paul Ryan, UCD School of Business
The Award for Exceptional Contribution to Learning recognises individual UCD employees who are engaged directly in teaching and or facilitating student learning, and this year was awarded to:
- Dr Cian Davis, UCD School of Medicine
- Dr Aoife Claire MacCormac, UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems
- Mr Alan Morgan, UCD Innovation Academy
- Dr Matthew O'Brien, UCD College of Science
- Ms Emer O'Daly, UCD School of Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy
A total of 3,046 nominations were presented between November 2023 and August 2024, with students, faculty and staff asked to submit a nominee they felt exemplified a commitment to higher learning.
“These awards are an opportunity for the UCD community to recognise our colleagues for their outstanding contributions in the pursuit of teaching excellence and the enhancement of student learning,” said (opens in a new window)Professor Colin Scott, UCD Registrar, Deputy President and Vice-President for Academic Affairs.
“The content and volume of nominations and the inspirational work of all our awardees are a testament to the great diversity, ingenuity and commitment demonstrated in supporting learning in our university. Congratulations to all.”
The scope of the Teaching and Learning Awards is broad, and covers all aspects of teaching and learning at the University.
Among the areas they aim to highlight include, the importance UCD places on high quality teaching, learning, assessment and curriculum design; recognition for teaching excellence; showcasing exemplary and innovative practice; and encouraging scholarly activity and leadership in teaching and learning.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
