The Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) celebrates and recognizes outstanding collaborative work that has made a transformative impact on teaching and learning. Since its inception in 2016, the award has proudly highlighted the vital role of teamwork in shaping the future of higher education.
Institutional nominations are made by a designated contact at each institution (the TEAL – Teaching Excellence Award Lead) and are submitted via Advance HE's Survey Monkey Apply (SMA) platform. If you are a UK Advance HE member institution (Full or Affiliate member) and have not received details of the nomination process, please contact the Awards team for further information ([email protected]).
2025 CATE Winners
Meet the 2025 CATE winners.
The Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) recognises, rewards and celebrates collaborative work that has had a demonstrable impact on teaching and learning. Introduced in 2016, the scheme highlights the key role that teamwork plays in higher education. Each award will recognise a team which has enabled a change in practice for colleagues and/or students at an institutional or discipline level.
CATE 2026 nominations are now open, the deadline to apply is 12:00 noon (GMT) Wednesday 11 March 2026.
Download Resource
CATE 2026 - Guidance for Institutions and Nominated Teams (English Version)
Download
Download Resource
CATE 2026 - Guidance for Institutions and Nominated Teams (Welsh Version)
Download
Download Resource
CATE 2026 Reviewer Guidance
Download
Insight into the Award Criteria video series
We have created a set of videos to guide you through the award criteria for the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE).
Introduction to CATE
Dr Holly Earl provides an overview of the application process for the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence to help potential nominees develop their claims
CATE Criterion One
Overview of CATE Criterion One: tips and advice for potential nominees on how to evidence excellence in their collaborative approach when completing their claim.
CATE Criterion Two
Overview of CATE Criterion Two: tips and advice for nominees on how to effectively provide evidence of the impact of the team’s collaborative approach on teaching and learning when completing their claim.
The CATE Collection: Together in Collaborative Educational Leadership
With rich contributions from past CATE winners, this 2021 publication examines the what, why, how and who of the CATE in order to inspire aspiring CATE Teams planning their nominations as well as everyone interested in collaborative ways of working in higher education.
Benefits of winning a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence
Gaining a CATE has a number of benefits for both individuals and their institutions.
| Benefits to teams | Benefits to institutions |
| Provides teams with national recognition and profile of their collaborative work in learning and teaching within higher education. | Offers an extension to university wide team-based recognition schemes, as a means to raise the status of learning and teaching. |
| The award can help ‘open doors’ to new collaborative or career opportunities. | Showcases the institution’s support of collaborative approaches to developing teaching excellence and the impact on learning and teaching. |
| Join a national community of like-minded professionals who are passionate about collaborative approaches to teaching excellence. | Enables staff to collaborate and network with colleagues across disciplines, themes, institutions, nations and countries. |
Past winners
Each team has demonstrated evidence that their collaborative work has had a demonstrable impact upon teaching and learning.
This could be impact on colleagues and/or students at an institutional or discipline level.
If you would like to gain some inspiration and find out more about past winners review the full directory below.
CATE 2026 Roadshows
Facilitated by the CATE-Net Co-ordination Group and the Advance HE Awards Team, these virtual roadshows will offer an overview of the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) and guidance on the application process for those interested in applying in 2026. All will include a brief introduction to CATE and an overview of the professional and institutional benefits. The CATE application process will be outlined and there will be practical guidance and suggestions from previous CATE winners, plus time for questions and answers.
CATE Teams' Stories
We are proud to share the success stories and experiences of our CATE Teams' in higher education. Our CATE Teams' stories page consists of a series of blogs contributed by several winning teams, sharing their journey and valuable advice for prospective applicants.
CATE Award Success
Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence award winner Pete Bridge discusses his award, and offers some advice for those thinking of applying.
For further resources, please contact the Teaching Excellence Awards Lead (TEAL) at your Institute or contact ([email protected]).