ALDinHE Awards

2026 Winner of the ALDinHE Award: Sandra Sinfield, London Metropolitan University

Name of nominee: Sandra Sinfield, nominated by Sandra Abegglen

Sandra Sinfield has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to the field of Learning Development (LD) through her scholarship, leadership, and unwavering commitment to inclusive and transformative education. An Associate Professor (Teaching) in the Centre for Professional and Educational Development (CPED) at London Metropolitan University, Sandra is also a co-founder of the Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE), playing a pivotal role in shaping and nurturing the LD community.

Sandra’s work has consistently foregrounded student voice, belonging, and participation in higher education. She has championed approaches that position students as partners in learning, developing pedagogies that make academic spaces more accessible, dialogic, and empowering—particularly for students who feel marginalised within traditional academic environments.
Her influence extends far beyond her institution. Sandra has been deeply involved in building collaborative LD communities and has contributed to initiatives recognised with an AdvanceHE Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE, 2022) for fostering creativity in higher education. Through conference presentations, collaborative scholarship, and generous mentoring, she has supported and inspired countless educators across the sector.

Sandra is also a prolific and influential author. She has co-authored internationally recognised texts such as Teaching, Learning and Study Skills (2004) and Essential Study Skills (2022, 5th ed.), alongside many other publications exploring creative teaching, student engagement, and LD practice. Her scholarship encourages educators to see LD not as remedial skills support, but as a transformative, collaborative, and creative educational approach.

Sandra’s work consistently demonstrates how imagination, collaboration, and care can open new possibilities for students and educators alike. Through her scholarship, community-building, and generous mentorship, she has had a lasting impact on the LD community and on the many students whose educational experiences her work has helped to transform. Sandra’s vision, creativity, and leadership make her a truly deserving recipient of the ALDinHE Award.

Read the 2026 nominations for the ALDinHE Award.

2026 Winner of the LD Team Award: Academic Support, Camberwell, Chelsea, Wimbledon Colleges of Arts (CCW), University of the Arts London (UAL), nominated by Robert Ping-Nan Chang

Congratulations to (Left to Right) Tracey Ashmore, Henrietta Simson, Maira Vaisou, Sharon Young, James Reynolds, Cath Hawes (me), Joshua Y’Barbo, Jordan Mckenzie, Eleonora Origo, Helen Elder, Ocean Balcoumbe-Toppin, Veronica Hendry, Sidney Hope, Eleanor Bowen and Sukie Sakoo-Reddy. Also (not pictured) Rob Vinall, Robert Chang, Caroline King, Sarah Laxton, Charlene Dobson, Joey Ryken, Nicola Rae and Vivi Stubi.

2026 Winning Nomination:

Name of nominee: Academic Support, Camberwell, Chelsea, Wimbledon Colleges of Arts (CCW), University of the Arts London (UAL), nominated by Robert Ping-Nan Chang

I am pleased to nominate CCW Academic Support (CCW AS), UAL, for the LD Team Award. Led by Cath Hawes, the multidisciplinary team of academics and practitioners in art, design and English for Academic Purposes prioritise creativity and criticality in their practice. Working in partnership with a very diverse student body (Level 4-8) the team supports students from pre-arrival to post-graduation, covering academic literacies and study skills, resilience and wellbeing, and creative research and practice. Drawing on scholarship in compassionate pedagogy, critical pedagogy, and art and design practice, the team has taken a proactive approach by implementing innovative interventions. These include the OFF Curriculum (off-site visits and off-topic reading sessions), Writers’ Collective, Future Communities, Academic Skills Marathon, Creative Collaboration through Drawing, Superpowers Framework, and Unscripted Podcast. As research-active staff, the team consistently shares research and practice through publications and conferences, while driving excellence through dedicated AS Staff Development days and engagement with ALDinHE.

The team’s influence extends to course curricula through close collaboration with subject lecturers. They actively shape course development by reviewing briefs and revalidation documents and delivering embedded facilitation and co-teaching. Aligning with university priority on climate, social and racial justice (CSRJ), the team has integrated these themes into their teaching and engage in CPD and initiatives like Carbon Literacy Training, CCW Intent Competition, and the ‘Carb your enthusiasm’ project. The impact of CCW AS is evidenced by remarkable engagement, with 11,039 total attendances in 2024/5. The contribution to student success is substantial: attainment, continuation and completion rates increased by 8%, 14% and 13% respectively within the year. These gains are especially pronounced amongst BAME, First Generation and International students, demonstrating the team’s vital role in narrowing the awarding gap and fostering an inclusive creative community.

Read the 2026 nominations for the ALDinHE Learning Development Team Award.

Congratulations to ALDinHE members who received formal recognition of their specialist knowledge and practice in learning development in 2025-26.

The following members were awarded Fellow of ALDinHE (F-ALDinHE) and Senior Fellow of ALDinHE (SF-ALDinHE) in Learning Development:

Fellow

• Chris Dennis
• Clare Brown
• Sarah Armstrong
• Laura McCormick
• Alice Stinetorf
• Steve White
• Tom Edge
• Lorna Brown
• Jaclyn Tuason
• Noemi Hrvatin
• Sharon Pexton
• Amy Coryat
• Charlotte Allen
• Katie Winter

Senior Fellow

• Anne-Marie Langford
• Laura Barclay
• Sonia Hood
• Kate Swinton
• Bernard Aidoo
• Ian Johnson
• Maddy Mossman

View the complete list of Fellowship holders