The panel of judges for this year's Times Higher Education Awards has been unveiled on the eve of the deadline for entries.

The annual awards will honour outstanding achievement in 18 categories, including several new awards. A Serendipity Award, sponsored by Research Councils UK, will honour inspirational researchers, and another will reward the Outstanding Engineering Research Team of the Year.

The judging panel, announced this week, includes experts from across the sector. Among them are Patrick Finch, bursar and director of estates at the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Bristol and chair of the Association of 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ Directors of Estates; Paul Ramsden, chief executive of the Higher Education Academy; Wes Streeting, president of the National Union of Students; and Ian Diamond, chair of Research Councils UK.

Also on the panel are Hugh Tollyfield, special adviser on employer engagement at the Higher Education Funding Council for England; Dianne Willcocks, vice-chancellor of York St John 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ and chair of Hefce's widening access and participation strategic advisory committee; Chris Cobb, pro vice-chancellor of Roehampton 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ and a member of the organisation support committee of the Joint Information Systems Committee; and Philip Esler, chief executive of the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

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They will be joined by Ann Mroz and Phil Baty, editor and deputy editor of Times Higher Education.

Ms Mroz said: "The awards are firmly established as a high point in the higher education calendar.

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"Like the rest of the country, our universities face tough times during the recession, but that's all the more reason to take stock of the remarkable job their staff are doing day in, day out."

The Times Higher Education Awards are in their fifth year, and the ceremony will take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on 15 October.

However, hopefuls who have not yet entered must act quickly - the deadline is 5 June.

Full details of how to apply can be found at www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/awards.

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