Thank you for making the 2026 STAR Awards a success
A huge thank you to every student who took the time to nominate a member of staff for this year's Staff, Teaching, and Representation (STAR) Awards.
At Leeds Trinity Students' Union, the STAR Awards are one of our favourite opportunities to celebrate the staff who make a real difference to students' lives. Each year, the awards give students the chance to recognise the academic staff, professional services staff, and student staff who have gone above and beyond to support them throughout their university journey.
This year, students submitted nominations for more than 50 colleagues across a range of categories, sharing stories of outstanding teaching, invaluable support, inspiring leadership, and dedication to the student experience. Every nomination helped shine a spotlight on the positive impact staff have across our University community.
The winners were announced at our STAR Awards celebration at Horsforth Campus on Friday 29 May. While only one winner could be selected in each category, every nominee should be incredibly proud of being recognised by their students and colleagues.
A special thank you goes to our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Charles Egbu, for joining us on the evening and opening this year's STAR Awards. His support for the event and recognition of both staff and student voices helped make the celebration even more meaningful.
We would like to congratulate all of this year's nominees and winners, and thank every student who took the time to submit a nomination. Your feedback helps us celebrate great practice, recognise exceptional support, and ensure that the voices of students remain at the heart of the University experience.
2026 STAR Award winners
Academic Staff Member of the Year
Winner: Majd Megheirkouni
BCDI Teaching Excellence Award
Winner: Mark Sebright
Commitment to Student Welfare
Winner: Yvonne Burton
Contribution to the Student Experience
Winner: Helen Heaviside-Brown
Innovation in Learning and Teaching
Winner: Ibrahim Raji
PGR Teaching Excellence Award
Winner: Satish Sharma
Professional Services Staff Member of the Year
Winner: Patrick Harmon
SSE Teaching Excellence Award
Winner: Edward Noon
HWLS Teaching Excellence Award
Winner: Nadia Ambreen
Student Staff Member of the Year
Winner: Arefeen Salim
Student Voice Champion Award
Winner: Mihaela Mihai
Thank you once again to everyone who submitted a nomination and helped us celebrate the people who make Leeds Trinity a supportive, inspiring, and welcoming place to study.
Also a massive thank you to the Aramark Team for catering the event and being such lovely people!
Photography from the STAR Awards can be found here : STAR Awards 2026 Photo Album