England's and Northern Ireland's top 50 university teachers and learning support staff were announced this week, writes Jessica Shepherd.

The Higher Education Academy chose the winners from 242 nominees from universities and higher education colleges.

The 50 winners have become National Teaching fellows and will each receive ?10,000 towards helping students to learn.

Lecturers and support staff within the education and health science disciplines were the best represented, with 17 winners. Leeds 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ had three winners, the most of any institution.

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Judges chose the fellows for their "outstanding impact on the student learning experience".

The winners include Dan Lloyd, a pharmacology lecturer at Kent 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, whose undergraduates have turned research projects into magazine articles, CD-Roms and websites.

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Simon Sweeney (pictured), head of the masters in international studies at York St John 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, was given the award for excellence in teaching and an innovative use of the curriculum.

Peter Weigold, a music professor at Brunel 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, encouraged his students to perform in schools, hospitals and residential homes.

The awards were open to all higher education staff involved in student learning. There were a maximum of three entries per institution.

Paul Ramsden, HEA chief executive, said: "The awards aim to raise the profile of learning and teaching; recognise and celebrate individuals who make an outstanding impact on the student learning experiences; and provide a national focus for institutional teaching and learning excellence schemes."

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NATIONAL TEACHING FELLOWS 2006

• Guillaume Alinier , Hertfordshire 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Alasdair Blair , Coventry 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Michael Bradford , Manchester 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Elizabeth Davenport , Queen Mary, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London;
• John Dickens , Loughborough 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Timothy Dornan , Manchester;
• Andrew Folkard , Lancaster 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Gregory Garrard , Bath Spa 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Graham Gibbs , Huddersfield 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Melanie Gibson , Northumbria 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Kathleen Green , 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London;
• Mary Hartog , Middlesex 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Fraser Hatfield , Liverpool 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Deirdre Heenan , Ulster 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Anne Hill , 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Central England;
• Andrew Hugill , De Montfort 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Keith Johnstone , Cambridge 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Indra Jones , Hertfordshire;
• Helen King , Plymouth 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Robert Lambourne , Open 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Daniel Lloyd , Kent 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Mary Luckhurst , York 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• George Macdonald Ross , Leeds 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Julia Magill-Cuerden ,Thames Valley 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Christopher Megone , Leeds;
• Mark Miodownik , King's College London;
• Jenny Moon , Bournemouth 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• David Morley , Warwick 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Nicholas Morton , UCE;
• Jenny Naish , Middlesex 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Gill Needham , Open 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• David Oddie , College of St Mark and St John;
• John Phelps , Goldsmith's, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London;
• Jill Raggett , Writtle College;
• Catherine Reynolds , Sussex 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Trudie Roberts , Leeds;
• Carolyn Roberts , Gloucestershire 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Gillian Salmon , Leicester 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Christopher Sangwin , Birmingham 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Kim Scarborough , 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of the West of England;
• Michael Sosabowski , Brighton 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Susan Starkings , London South Bank 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Simon Sweeney , York St John College;
• Peter Thompson , York 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Cecile Tschirhart , London Metropolitan 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Rogelio Vallejo , Bristol 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Simon Walker , Greenwich 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Helena Webster , Oxford Brookes 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ;
• Evelyn Welch , Queen Mary, 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of London;
• Peter Weigold , Brunel 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ.