This is the 20th year of the Pilkington Prizes which honour excellence in teaching across the University of Cambridge.

Thirteen inspirational academics were honoured for the outstanding quality and approach to their teaching. This year’s recipients received their awards at a ceremony at Murray Edwards College attended by Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz and Lord Watson of Richmond CBE, the University’s High Steward.

Senior Lecturer Dr Dick Fenner received his award in recognition of his work on the MPhil course in Engineering for Sustainable Development. His citation read: “Dick Fenner has been the Course Director of the highly successful MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development since its establishment in 2002. With students from over 60 countries ranging in age from 20-65, some with considerable professional experience and some with very little, he has had to devise many innovative approaches to teaching. He has constantly evolved the course to reflect the changing needs of the students, and his transformative educational experience has included role plays, games, debates, site visits and mock inquiries, and field trips.”

Dr Andrew Flewitt is a Reader in Electronic Engineering. His citation stated: “Andrew Flewitt has consistently delivered excellent and innovative electrical engineering teaching in the Engineering Tripos for over ten years. He set up a new fourth year course in Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems, which has attracted students specialising in many different areas of engineering. His introduction of an innovative coursework element to this gives students the much-valued opportunity to get into a clean room to fabricate simple devices. He has also devised a new third year course in Semiconductor Engineering, and has reinvigorated laboratories for the general Part I.”

The Pilkington Prizes were initiated by Sir Alastair Pilkington, the first Chairman of the Cambridge Foundation, who believed passionately that the quality of teaching was crucial to Cambridge’s success.