The awards highlight the higher education sector’s contribution to Australian prosperity and quality of life.
UNSW is inviting expressions of interest (EOIs) from staff who would like to enter the 2026 Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards.
The University has enjoyed great success at these awards in recent years. In 2025, the Play Platform educational tool created by UNSW Business School Economics Professors Isabella Dobrescu and Alberto Motta was awarded best Teaching and Learning Experience. In 2024, teams from UNSW Engineering won the Teaching and Learning Experience and Research Commercialisation categories.
This year, eight categories are open for nominations:
• Community Engagement
• Emerging Leadership
• Employability
• Equity & Access
• Industry Engagement
• Outstanding Professional
• Research Commercialisation
• Teaching & Learning Excellence.
How to submit an EOI
UNSW is only permitted to submit one entry per category. Staff interested in entering the awards should first submit an internal EOI. Entries will be judged by two UNSW senior leaders who will select the initiatives that will be entered on behalf of the University.
Before making an EOI, review the AFR Higher Education Awards Entry Kit and the selection criteria for your chosen category.
Applications will be judged on core achievements between 1 January 2025 and 8 May 2026.
EOIs close on Tuesday 14 April 2026.
Successful applicants will be notified on Thursday 23 April. Final entries from successful EOIs are due by Wednesday 6 May.
The awards will be held in Sydney on Tuesday 18 August.
Contact Louise.Templeton@unsw.edu.au if you have any questions.
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