This page celebrates and publicises exceptional work taking place within the learning development community, highlighted through the ALDinHE Annual Awards nominations. Here you can read about the nominees’ work from the 2026 awards.
2026 Winner: To be announced at the AGM and Awards Ceremony 30 April 2026. Book a ticket via the Events Calendar.
2026 Nominations
Name of nominee: Emily Pennington (Nomination 1), nominated by Claire Swanwick
I am pleased to nominate Emily Pennington for their outstanding contribution to Learning Development and clear alignment with the values of the Association for Learning Development in Higher Education.
In their role as Academic Skills Advisor, they demonstrate a strong commitment to working in partnership with students and staff. Through close collaboration with the Widening Access and Student Success team, Emily designed and delivered targeted transitional support that responded directly to student needs using the voices from the Student Advisory Panel to shape the content and to enable first-year Sports and Physical Activity undergraduate students to actively engage in their learning and development.
Emily is committed to inclusivity and widening participation, recognising the diverse backgrounds of students entering higher education and the challenges and opportunities they face. Emily provides volunteer support as a Student Success Champion, supporting underrepresented students as part of the Thrive programme during their first year. With a sustained focus on nurturing autonomy and signposting students to access support, she ensures an equitable student experience and fosters a sense of belonging for students experiencing unique challenges.
Emily’s practice reflects innovation and adaptability. Notably, Emily has enhanced and will shortly deliver a “Thinking Like a Second-Year Student” session, which supports transition between years by helping students anticipate and navigate the increasing academic demands of higher levels of study. This proactive approach promotes confidence, independence, and long-term student success.
Emily’s work is underpinned by a scholarly, evidence-informed approach, drawing on sector knowledge around transition pedagogy and student success. Emily seeks out opportunities to benchmark Academic Skills practice against the work of other HEIs as demonstrated by her involvement in the NW CoP meetings.
Finally, Emily demonstrates strong critical self-reflection and commitment to professional development. By responding to student feedback and refining their approach, they continuously enhance the support they provide.
Overall, this colleague makes a significant contribution to student success and exemplifies the core values of ALDinHE.
Name of nominee: Emily Pennington (Nomination 2), nominated by Helen Jamieson
Emily Pennington is a brilliant Academic Skills Advisor working within the UniSkills team at Edge Hill University.
Emily supports students across all disciplines to develop their academic literacy and confidence through one-to-one appointments, group workshops and the creation of accessible digital learning resources. Alongside this, she volunteers as a THRIVE coach, supporting students with widening participation characteristics navigate their transition into higher education. Through this work Emily demonstrates a deep commitment to working in partnership with students and colleagues to ensure learners can make sense of, and succeed within, HE.
In 2025–26 Emily played a key role in a collaborative university project involving colleagues from the Centre for Teaching and Learning, Widening Participation team, and academic staff in the Department of Sport and Physical Activity. The project supported first year students from BTEC pathways, recognising that these students may encounter distinct academic transition challenges. Emily designed and delivered bespoke UniSkills sessions for this cohort including Time Management and Think Like a Second Year. These sessions were embedded across modules and strongly supported by module tutors, ensuring students saw them as an integral part of their curriculum.
Emily’s work exemplifies inclusive learning development practice. The sessions were carefully designed to acknowledge diverse learner experiences and Emily extended the reach of this work by developing the content into digital resources that students can revisit independently. Emily is also actively involved in the evaluation of this project, contributing to a scholarly and reflective approach to practice.
I am delighted to nominate her for the 2026 ALDHE Award.
Name of nominee: Katie Woodhouse-Skinner nominated by Kayleigh Wilson
“Dr Katie Woodhouse-Skinner has made a significant contribution to learning development at NTU through the research-informed design of the university’s first compulsory Open Research (OR) training module for PGR students. To the nominee’s knowledge, it is the first co-designed OR module developed with both PGRs and PGR supervisors across disciplines. This cross-disciplinary pedagogical resource is being made available to more than 950 postgraduate researchers at NTU.
OR is now a critical skill for PGRs. Doctoral education is often overlooked within higher education learning development, yet Katie recognised a significant gap in OR skills training and so built a module to address learner needs. She designed baseline surveys with PGR students and supervisors, facilitated co-design workshops, and led iterative user testing to refine content, language, and activities. This ensured the module reflected PGRs needs.
Inclusion shaped every stage of development. Katie applied universal design for learning principles throughout, consulting accessibility specialists and colleagues across NTU to ensure the module was accessible, flexible, and relevant to diverse learner needs and prior experience. As a result, this compulsory training was designed not simply as compliance, but as an inclusive intervention supporting all PGRs to engage critically with skill development from the start of their doctoral journey.
Katie also embedded longitudinal follow-up to explore whether participation leads to sustained changes in practice, using insights to plan future enhancements. Her engagement with theories of change approaches has strengthened understanding of how this learning intervention contributes to wider institutional development. Beneficiaries stated that “the research community at NTU have hugely benefitted” from Katie’s initiatives, and that she “has been instrumental for developing a strong open research culture at NTU” and that “without her novel ideas [on the project] and hard working nature, I don’t think NTU would be as successful at Open Research and in promoting vigorous and transparent research culture”. Her work demonstrates inclusive learning development with lasting institutional impact.
Name of nominee: Lyn Gardner nominated by Kari Morley
Lyn Gardner is profoundly deserving of recognition due to her exceptional dedication, consistency, and impact on the students at Anglia Ruskin University. Lyn has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ensuring that every student who engages with her receives tailored, practical, and compassionate academic guidance. Her support extends across a wide range of subjects, modules and learning needs, and she has consistently adapted her approach to meet students exactly where they are.
What sets Lyn apart is not only the depth of her subject expertise, but her ability to translate that expertise into meaningful, confidence building support for students and apprentices who are often balancing complex professional and academic commitments. Many of these students have faced challenging workloads, clinical placement, and demanding technical modules, yet Lyn has remained a constant source of clarity, structure, and reassurance. Her interventions have enabled students to better understand difficult concepts, manage assessments effectively, and develop the academic skills required to succeed.
Lyn has consistently worked hard to provide Maths support for students from across our university through embedded sessions, bookable workshops, online guides, drop-in sessions and online guidance. Each of these methods provides students with support in ways that meet their needs and Lyn is always looking for new ways to improve her own practice through training and development.
Her contributions have been nothing short of transformative: she has helped at risk students regain momentum, supported entire year groups, and provided the kind of sustained guidance that directly influences retention and achievement. Lyn’s work is vital, impactful, and deeply appreciated. Her commitment to student success goes far beyond what is expected, and her influence on our students’ academic journeys makes her truly deserving of nomination.
Lyn truly is an inspiration and it is an honour to have her as part of our team.
Name of nominee: Sam Skipp (Nomination 1) nominated by Lisa Wakefield
As an academic colleague working closely with Sam Skipp, I have seen first-hand the significant contribution he has made to the University of Leicester’s learning development landscape since the establishment of the Academic Skills Centre, now the Centre for Academic Achievement. Sam’s practice is deeply collaborative; he consistently partners with students, academics, and professional services to enhance the learning experience. His coordination and delivery of online transition webinars exemplify this approach—he integrates student voice and lived experience to demystify higher education and address the real barriers faced by our diverse learners.
Sam brings a critical pedagogical lens to his one‑to‑one and small‑group teaching, ensuring inclusive and student‑centred support. His work with the School of Healthcare is a particularly strong example: he collaborated with colleagues to embed academic literacies within modules designed to support learners balancing study with demanding short clinical placements. His focus on resilience as a core academic skill reflects his nuanced understanding of their shifting professional and academic identities.
Sam has also led impactful institutional work on Academic Integrity. Drawing on scholarship and practice, he developed a resource that promotes ethical academic practice and reflective learning. His emphasis on situating integrity within disciplinary contexts has led several Schools to adopt embedded delivery models, resulting in higher engagement and completion. His continued dialogue with academic leaders, including presenting to Education Leaders, ensures the resource remains relevant and influential.
Sam’s work is grounded in scholarly inquiry and ongoing professional development, evidenced by his PGCAP, HEA Fellowship, coaching practice, and emerging exploration of AI‑enhanced learning design.
Across all aspects of his role, he consistently embodies ALDinHE values and would be an outstanding candidate for the ALDinHE Award.
Name of nominee: Sam Skipp (Nomination 2) nominated by Chantal Bielmann
Sam Skipp is a key part of the University of Leicester’s academic support provision since the creation of the Academic Skills Centre, now the Centre for Academic Achievement. His practice is rooted in collaboration and partnership with students, academic colleagues and professional services staff. His delivery and coordination of online webinars supporting students transitioning into HE exemplifies this point. By embedding student voice and lived experience, Sam ensures these sessions demystify HE and address real barriers faced by diverse learners.
Sam applies critical pedagogy to his work and adopts inclusive approaches in his one-to-ones and small group teaching. His collaboration with School of Healthcare demonstrates this: he worked with academics to embed academic literacies provision in modules aimed at supporting students with their learning. In particular, Sam’s awareness of the complexities of studying alongside short clinical placements resulted in his emphasis of resilience as a core academic skill to reflect the challenges these students face when shifting between work and learning environments.
One the key projects Sam led focused on Academic Integrity. Drawing upon scholarship and real-world examples, he created a learning resource promoting ethical academic practice and reflective learning. His idea on situating integrity within disciplinary cultures led several Schools to adopt embedded delivery models, increasing engagement and completion rates. His ongoing engagement with academics, such as his delivery of a talk to Education Leaders on the resource, further strengthens the resource’s relevance and impact.
Sam’s work is informed by research and reflective evaluation. He regularly engages with continuing professional development, evidenced by his completion of a PGCAP (resulting in a Fellowships in the HEA) and engagement with coaching (now a member of the Coaching Academy at the University). More recently Sam has begun to explore the intersection between technology and learning, notably linked to AI, to further improve his and the service’s ability to deliver student-centred approaches to resource design and academic support.
Across all aspects of his role, Sam demonstrates the ALDinHE values: partnership, critical pedagogy, scholarly practice, and continuous professional development. His work makes a significant contribution to learning development at the University and would be an ideal candidate for the ALDinHE Award.
Name of nominee: Sandra Abegglen, nominated by Fabian Neuhaus
I am pleased to nominate Dr. Sandra Abegglen for recognition of her exceptional contributions to the field of Learning Development (LD). Her work embodies collaborative, inclusive, and innovative approaches to teaching and learning, consistently positioning students as active partners in their educational journeys. Sandra creates opportunities for learners to engage critically with knowledge, technology, and with one another, strengthening both confidence and community.
As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education, Sandra works at the intersection of LD, online education, and inclusion. Her research examines how students experience and use AI in their studies, with a focus on co‑creating ethical, student‑informed approaches to higher education. Through initiatives such as the AI in Higher Education Innovation Exchange and TALON—the Teaching and Learning Online Network—she brings together students, educators, and researchers to explore how emerging technologies can support meaningful learning rather than simply automate academic tasks.
Sandra’s practice is deeply student‑centred. She creates spaces where learners can share their experiences, reflect on their academic practices, and contribute to shaping educational environments that foster belonging and participation. Through workshops, collaborative research, and co‑authored publications, she supports students in developing their identities as thinkers, writers, and knowledge producers.
Her contributions have been recognised through several collaborative teaching and community‑building initiatives. She has been part of teams receiving the AdvanceHE Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE, 2022) and the University of Calgary Team Teaching Award (2020), both celebrating innovative and inclusive approaches to teaching and learning. She also contributes actively to international LD communities through conference presentations, open education initiatives, and collaborative scholarship.
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.