FAQs

How do I find key dates for this year’s Alumni Awards?

When will Alumni Award recipients be announced?

  • Award recipients for each category will be announced in the lead up to the Alumni Excellence Awards Event that takes place in Newcastle on Thursday 12 September 2024. Further information for this year’s Alumni Excellence Awards will be published online when available at newcastle.edu.au/alumniawards

Whom should I contact for questions about the nomination form, the selection process or the Awards function?

How do I source information on a nominee if I do not know them personally?

  • Information on a nominee can often be sourced by searching online for: media articles, LinkedIn profiles, employee/company websites, conference speaker profiles or featured talks on YouTube, etc. In some cases, you may need to approach the nominee directly for more information.

How do I nominate someone for the Alumni Excellence Awards?

What are the nomination criteria?

  • Nominees must demonstrate outstanding achievements in the category for which they are nominated. Nomination criteria helps the selection panel make a sound assessment of each nomination so a candidate can be identified. It is important to make sure you address each criteria carefully to demonstrate the nominees eligibility for the award.

Can I nominate myself?

  • Yes, we welcome self-nominations!

How many nominations can I put forward?

  • There is no limit to the number of people you can nominate.

Can I nominate a previous University of Newcastle Alumni Excellence Award nominee?

  • Unsuccessful nominees can be re-nominated in any category in subsequent years. Previous recipients may also be re-nominated; however, they must not be nominated in the same category for which they have already received an award. Recipients of the Alumni Medal for Professional Excellence are not eligible for re-nomination.

Will you accept late nominations?

  • No. Due to tight program timeframes, late applications cannot be considered; however, you might like to save the nomination for submission the following year.

Can anyone nominate a member of the alumni community for an Alumni Excellence Award?

  • Absolutely! Anyone can nominate deserving alumni, whether you are a fellow classmate, acquaintance, colleague, friend, family member or a current/former member of the University staff.

Will the nominee know that I personally nominated them?

  • Unless successful, we do not notify nominees of their nomination and nominator. However, the University does reserve the right to disclose the identity of the nominator to the nominee if the need arises.

When will nominees/nominators be informed of the outcome?

  • Nominees (and their respective nominators) will be informed of an outcome at a date in keeping with the Alumni Excellence Awards timeline. Key dates for the current Alumni Excellence Awards, including the announcement of finalists, are published online at newcastle.edu.au/alumniawards.

What does ‘alumni’ mean and who does it include?

  • ‘Alumni’ refers to former students of The University of Newcastle and its antecedent institutions. Only alumni who hold a minimum undergraduate Bachelor degree are eligible to be nominated for the Awards.

Who sits on the Awards selection panel?

  • The selection panel is comprised of University senior staff, Council Members, and expert alumni, including former Alumni Excellence Award recipients. Panel members are selected based upon their professional experience to ensure each panel has the relevant expertise for each award category.