The UCISA Awards 2026 – Shortlist Announced!

With the UCISA Awards Dinner due to take place at the UCISA 26 Leadership Summit in March, we are pleased to announce the shortlisted nominees for each award category below.

Thank you to everyone who nominated themselves or a colleague for the UCISA Awards 2026, and congratulations to our shortlisted nominees. We look forward to the awards dinner on Wednesday 18 March where the winners will be announced.

You can still book places for the UCISA Awards dinner or the full UCISA26 Summit here: UCISA26 Summit

The shortlisted nominees across the 8 categories are:

Outstanding Corporate Member  

The UCISA Award for the Outstanding Corporate Member recognises a business that has worked in partnership, delivering exceptional services that have positively impacted an institution or the sector.

• Amos (Nominated by University of the Creative Arts)
• Fulcrum Digital (Nominated by University of Huddersfield)
• TechnologyOne (Nominated by Royal Holloway University of London)

Outstanding Leadership Award

The Outstanding Leadership Award celebrates exceptional IT leaders within higher and further education institutions who demonstrate visionary leadership, inspire teams, and drive meaningful technological advancements. This award recognises individuals who shape the future of IT in academia, champion innovation, and foster collaboration to enhance institutional success.   

• Emma Horrell, University of Edinburgh
• Iain McCracken, London School of Economics
• Sandra Partington, City St. George’s, University of London

Rising Star

The UCISA Rising Star Award seeks to recognise an emerging leader in digital technology. Demonstrating ongoing technical and creative expertise as well as growth in responsibility and leadership.

• Joanna Addison, University of Kent
• Matty Riordan, University of Wolverhampton
• Lydia Towell, University of Manchester

Supporting Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Research

The UCISA Award for Supporting Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Research recognises digital innovations which have had a transformative effect on learning, teaching and research activities. Demonstrating the application of innovation in support of how academics research, teach and students learn

• Edinburgh Napier University – Webex Retrial Project: Moodle and MS Teams Integration
• Loughborough University – Loughborough University Learn User Interface
• Queen Mary University of London – Managed Services Rollout COPE (Corporate Owned Personally Enabled)
  
  

Sustainable Digital Project or Initiative

The UCISA Award for Sustainable Digital Project or Initiative celebrates an innovative activity that not only provides exceptional value to the institution but demonstrates a positive environmental sustainability impact for the future.

• Abertay University – Digital Prospectus Project
• Queen Mary University of London – Sustainable Data Centre Transformation
  
  

Transformation

The UCISA Transformation Award celebrates groundbreaking digital innovation that has transformed and delivered for the institution and beyond. Contributing to improved processes, better student and staff experiences, management of risk and control of costs. Enabling your institution to make exceptional progress in daily activities.

Shortlist to be confirmed shortly

CIO / IT Director of the Year 

The UCISA CIO / IT Director of the Year Award celebrates outstanding contribution by an exemplary leader who demonstrates vision, innovation, transformation and professional excellence. This individual will be a role model not only within their institution but throughout the wider UCISA community.

The shortlist and winner for CIO / IT Director of the Year will be announced at the UCISA Awards 2026 ceremony on Wednesday 18 March.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Diversity and Inclusion Awards seeks to recognise institutions that can demonstrate a holistic and long-term commitment to diversity and inclusion within your culture. You must be able to highlight your strategy and how it has had a positive impact and is represented through all levels of your organisation and have championed actions to remove barriers and improve the working experience and engagement.

The shortlist and winner for Diversity and Inclusion Award will be announced at the UCISA Awards 2026 ceremony on Wednesday 18 March.

Criteria

The judging of the awards looked at the project / individual's achievements as a whole, with particular interest in the following criteria. Applicants addresses any of the criteria they believe to be applicable or pertinent to their project or entry.

• Supporting each other and inclusivity in leading the development of digital innovation, capabilities and technologies to transform education and research.
• Quantifiable impact and doing it 'together' / across boundaries. This may be within your organisation, between institutions, with commercial partners or for the sector.
• Stakeholder Engagement demonstrating change in attitudes, behaviours, values and outcomes. Measuring and reporting benefits achieved.
• Value to institutional priorities and stakeholders. Institutional context/support; transformation, impact and return on investment achieved (realised or expected)
• Delivery of innovation, transformation or positive change through groundbreaking digital technologies, services, or partnerships.
• Sustainability and scalability of activity that demonstrates positive environmental and financial impact for the long-term.
• A Model that is motivating, inspiring or being adopted by others.