The Competition
The competition is open to anyone working in, or studying at, a higher education institution. Entrants may be academic or professional services staff at any level, and undergraduate, post graduate or doctoral students.
Entrants are required to write an essay of 3,000 – 5,000 words on the following: ESSAY TITLE
The winning essay will be published in the journal Perspectives. The winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize which will be awarded at an Awards Ceremony in central London on the evening of Thursday 9 March 2023.
How to enter
Entrants should write an essay of 3,000 to 5,000 words on the above topic.
Marking criteria (LINK TO CRITERIA ON AHUA SITE) are available as a guide.
There is no fee to enter.
Essays and contact details should be uploaded to this form by 5.00pm on Tuesday 31 January 2023. Any submissions received after this date will not be considered.
Judging panel
The panel is chaired by Nicola Dandridge, Professor of Practice in Higher Education Policy at the University of Bristol. Other panellists represent the universities at which Dr Nicholls worked, plus Shakespeare Martineau and the editor of Perspectives.
Joanne Caldwell, Manager, Centre for Doctoral Training, University of Salford , joint editor of Perspectives from 1 January 2023
Smita Jamdar, Partner and Head of Education, Shakespeare Martineau
Lee Sanders, Registrar, University of Birmingham
Professor Mike Shattock, Centre for Global Higher Education, University of Oxford and former Registrar at the University of Warwick
Professor Graham Virgo, University of Cambridge
Who was Dr Jonathan Nicholls?
Dr Nicholls was a distinguished university senior manager. He held the positions of Registrar at the University of Warwick from 1999 to 2004, Registrar and Secretary at the University of Birmingham from 2004 to 2007 and Registrary at the University of Cambridge from 2007 to 2016. He was Chair of the Association of Heads of University Administration from 2013 – 2016. He has been called the first ‘career Registrar’ and was hugely influential in the sector. He was tragically killed in an accident in March 2021.
