Why apply for an ASPIRE Award?
The ASPIRE criteria provide a framework for excellence that institutions can apply to their own context. Many institutions use the ASPIRE criteria and the preparation of an application to engage faculty, staff, and students in the development of excellence at their institution.
Achieving an ASPIRE to Excellence award comes with a number of reputational benefits, highlighting your institution nationally and internationally as a global leader in the areas awarded. Successful institutions can also clearly demonstrate to their students, staff and other stakeholders that the quest for excellence in education is part of their school’s vision and mission, and can also highlight that the educational experience at the school, in the awarded areas, is amongst the best available in the world.
In addition to the reputational value of an ASPIRE award, the ASPIRE review provides helpful feedback and external validation of the institution’s direction and progress in the development of excellence.
Achieving an ASPIRE award also grants your institution access to the ASPIRE Academy, an exclusive network of institutions recognised for their excellence in education
Which Area of Excellence should I select?
All of the Areas of Excellence are listed below and you'll find more information about the criteria for each award in the relevant section. You will be required to submit evidence to demonstrate how you meet the criteria along with your application, so choose an area where you have, or can easily assemble, documentation to support your application. You can apply for more than one award in the same year if you feel you meet the criteria, but note that there is substantial work involved in preparing an application, and this will be increased with each additional application.
Note that applications for the Inspirational and Innovative Approaches award are by invitation only. If you wish to be considered for this award you will need to submit a letter of intent by the deadline of November 30th. The panel will review all letters of intent and invite shortlisted submitters to prepare a full application.
How do I prepare to make my application?
Ensure you've read the criteria fully and downloaded the sample documentation for the award you wish to apply for. You should form a submissions team - we will require contact details of at least four individuals who have been involved in preparing each application. If you are not in a senior leadership role in your organisation, you will also need to get written permission from your Dean or someone of equivalent seniority to proceed with the application on behalf of the organisation.
Start to collate your documentary evidence, and identify any gaps that may need to be addressed before you make your application. All of the information about the criteria, the process and the required documentation is available on this page in the sections for each Area of Excellence and you should read this thoroughly before paying the application fee. If you have any questions about the process or the level of evidence required, please reach out to our team prior to payment. You can reach out to the Panel Chair in advance with general questions to determine whether you are ready to submit or would be advised to wait another year.
What is the application fee?
The standard charge per submission is £2,500 for each Area of Excellence to be assessed. This is reduced to £2,000 per submission for two or more submissions in the same twelve-month period.
The charge for institutions from emerging economies is £1,500 per submission, and £1,250 for two or more submissions in the same calendar year. View the list of emerging economies to see if your institution is eligible.
Payment must be received before you will be able to make your submission. Resubmissions are accepted within three years of the original application, with a charge of £2,000 for a resubmission.
Emerging Economies Charge
£1,500
Multiple Standard Submissions
£2,000 per submission
for two or more submissions
in the same twelve-month period.
Multiple Emerging Economies Submissions
£1,250 per submission
for two or more submissions
in the same twelve-month period.
How do I pay the application fee?
When you're ready to apply for your selected Area of Excellence and to pay for the application, you first need to visit the specific Area of Excellence you require. Once you're on that page, you'll find relevant information and details related to the application process. At the end of the activity listed there, you will see the form to request the invoice.
When filling out the webform, you’ll be asked to provide specific information, including:
- Your name, email address, and role
- Your institution's name and address
- The award(s) you wish to apply for
Our team will generate an invoice based on the information you provide us and send it to the email address you supplied. You will need to make payment before accessing the submissions portal, so we strongly advise requesting an invoice as soon as you know you want to submit, to allow adequate time to build your application.
We'll also request the name, email address and current role of any other members of your institution who will be involved in preparing the institution's application - we normally advise including four to six colleagues in your team.
How do I submit my application?
After payment, your team will be created in the submission portal for your selected Area(s) of Excellence.
In the submission portal, you can:
- Review the submission criteria and forms
- Submit your completed application and evidence
- Interact with the panel if you have questions
Can I submit my application in my own language?
We understand that the evidence which accompanies your submission will include working documents created in your School's local language(s). Supporting documentation may be provided in its original language; however, we require that you provide the narrative part of your application in English, along with an English summary to accompany any non-English documentation.
How will my submission be evaluated?
All submitted applications are reviewed by a team of three assessors who submit their report to be considered by the relevant ASPIRE Panel. Recommendations from the panel are then endorsed by the ASPIRE Board. The reviewers and/or Panel chair may contact you if there are questions about the information you have supplied.
When will I know if my application was successful?
Because of the amount of work involved in reviewing each submission, and the need to ensure that all applications are considered fairly, the review process is lengthy and is not usually complete until June. When the Board has met to ratify the decisions of the Panels, submitters will receive the decision along with any feedback. If successful, you will be invited to receive your award at the AMEE conference.
Can I resubmit if I was not successful?
Yes, we welcome resubmissions in the same or different categories, but please ensure that all feedback from the Panel has been addressed before making your resubmission. A common and completely avoidable reason for rejection is the resubmission of the same application without addressing the points raised by the Panel. ASPIRE Awards are criteria-based and your feedback will indicate which criteria you have not evidenced in your application, along with how you might address this.
Can I appeal the decision?
The ASPIRE Board and panels make the final decision on whether an application has met the criteria. We will consider appeals against the Board’s decision only under highly specific circumstances and usually only where a clear breach of policy or process can be demonstrated.
You should contact us on ASPIRE@amee.org if you have any queries about this or any other aspect of the application process.
