OBI Awards
Recognising UHI Perth's Outstanding, Best and Inspiring staff and students!
OBI Awards 2025
We were honoured to welcome the First Minister to our 2025 OBI Awards, where we celebrated the Outstanding, Best and Inspiring students and staff which took place in the Goodlyburn Theatre on 28th May.
With a record-breaking 498 nominations, this year’s ceremony was our biggest yet — recognising inspiring lecturers, dedicated tutors, standout student reps, and amazing clubs and societies!
Huge congratulations to all our nominees, winners, and runners-up. It was a fantastic celebration of the people who make UHI Perth such a vibrant and inspiring community!
Below is a summary of previous OBIs. For more information, please email hisa.perth@uhi.ac.uk
2025 OBI Award Winners
Best Student Club or Society
- Winner - Volleyball Club
Outstanding Student Voice Representative (BSTW)
- Winner - Ali Al Masri - Accounting
- Highly commended - Boudi-Harry O-Neal - Administration and IT
Outstanding Student Voice Representative (AHE)
- Winner - David Leslie - Sound Production
- Highly commended - Kseniia Huba - English as a Foreign Language
President's Special Award
- Winner - Michael Hill - Stepping Out
Most Inspiring Student (BSTW)
- Winner - Violet Sparks - Access to Health and life Sciences
- Highly commended - Shannon Telfer - Social Services
- Highly commended - Toni Hoggins - Access to Nursing
Most Inspiring Student (AHE)
- Winner - Lewis MacFarlane - Skill Up
- Highly commended - Olguta-Bianca Gliga - Childhood Practice
Outstanding Student Support
- Winner - Arlene McArthur - Reprographics Technician
- Winner - Lynne Pert - Aramark
- Highly commended - Karen McPhail - Learning Zone
- Special Commendation - Fiss the Guide Dog
Best Personal Academic Tutor (BSTW)
- Winner - Alison Kirk - Business
- Highly commended - Shirley Simpson - Hospitality
Best Personal Academic Tutor (AHE)
- Winner - Magnus Collie - Sound and Audio Engineering
- Highly commended - Tracy McGregor - Early Education and Childcare
Most Inspiring Lecturer (BSTW)
- Winner - Jordan Waugh - Health and Social Care
- Highly commended - Ines Caetano - Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
Most Inspiring Lecturer (AHE)
- Winner - Victoria-Lee Rice - Musical Theatre
- Highly commended - Jason Wotherspoon - Music
OBIs 2024
OBIs 2024
The 2024 OBI awards ceremony at UHI Perth recognised Outstanding, Best and Inspiring staff and students on Thursday 6th June.
Led by HISA Perth - the Highland and Islands Students Association, staff and students put forward nominations in various categories celebrating teaching staff, non-teaching staff, Personal Academic Tutors, Student Voice Representatives and Sports Clubs and Societies.
Most Inspiring Lecturer
- Laura Kelly & Ricky Neil
Best PAT
- Lynn Mulholland
Best Student Voice Representative
- Dagmara Dabrowska-Kochanek
Most Inspiring Student
- Zbigniew Ksiazak
Outstanding Education Support (Professional Services)
- Sharon Mcguire
Best Wellbeing Support (Professional Services)
- Suzanne Wilson
Best Impact on the Student Experience
- Trina McFarlane & Chris Heaney
Club/Society of the Year
- UHI Perth Boccia
Best Overall Student
- Debbie Matthew
Most Recognised
- Lindsey Brown & Becky Angus
OBIs 2023
OBIs 2023
An Awards ceremony at UHI Perth recognised Outstanding, Best and Inspiring (OBI) staff and students on Wednesday 31 May.
Led by HISA Perth - the Highland and Islands Students Association, staff and students put forward nominations in various categories celebrating teaching staff, non-teaching staff, Personal Academic Tutors, Student Voice Representatives and Sports Clubs and Societies. Xander McDade, Provost of Perth and Kinross also attended the ceremony to honor and acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the winners.
Dr Margaret Cook, UHI Perth Principal and Chief Executive said:
“These awards celebrate the amazing staff, students and student groups that help make UHI Perth a fantastic community. The ceremony is a timely reminder to appreciate and reward the hard work and dedication of our staff and students in creating the best student experience possible, and how we work hard to embed student engagement in partnership with our students. Many congratulations to all the nominees, winners and runners up.”
Todor Pavlov-Kennedy, HISA Perth President explained:
"I’m delighted that we have reached this time of year to host our OBI Awards, and the very special atmosphere they bring to our campus at UHI Perth. This year is the tenth year since the awards first began, designed to celebrate student and staff achievements.
"Bringing together the UHI Perth community for this special occasion highlights the amazing work students and staff have done this past academic year. We look forward to another ten years of OBI Awards to come so we can continue to celebrate the accomplishments of our wonderful UHI Perth community!"
Most Inspiring Lecturer
- Joe Burman
Best PAT
- Nicola Coffield
Best Student Voice Representative
- Katrina Irvine
Most Inspiring Student
- Tina Monaghan
Outstanding Support (Non Teaching)
- Alex Weir
Club/Society of the Year
- Creative Writing Club
Best Student Event
- Sharon's Shindig
Outstanding Research or Dissertation Supervisor
- Liz Courtney
Outstanding Feedback
- Yunior Perdomo
Best Overall Student
- Angelique Grant-Omotosho
- Iryna Khudan
OBIs 2022
OBIs 2022
An Awards ceremony at UHI Perth recognised Outstanding, Best and Inspiring (OBI) staff and students on Wednesday 1 June.
Led by HISA Perth - the Highland and Islands Students Association, staff and students put forward nominations in various categories celebrating teaching staff, non-teaching staff, Personal Academic Tutors, Student Voice Representatives and Sports Clubs and Societies.
Dr Margaret Cook, Perth College UHI Principal and Chief Executive said:
“These awards celebrate the amazing staff, students and student groups that help make Perth College UHI a fantastic community and showcases how excellent a place Perth College UHI is to study and work in.
“The ceremony is a timely reminder to appreciate and reward the hard work and dedication of our staff and students in creating the best student experience possible, and how we work hard to embed student engagement in partnership with our students. Many congratulations to all the nominees, winners and runners up.”
Todor, HISA Perth President explained:
“Here at Perth College UHI, the OBI Awards are close to all of our hearts. At this key event, we at HISA, recognise the outstanding contributions, and inspiring efforts, our staff and students make to ensure our college community is the best it can be. This is now our ninth year celebrating the amazing achievements of our staff and students, and it is my hope that we will continue to do so for many years to come!”
Most Inspiring Lecturer
- Adele MacDonald
Best PAT
- Scott Innes
- Caroline Cowe
Best Student Voice Rep
- Shannon Kerr
- Winfrida Mwongela
Most Inspiring Student
- Anna Croll
- Omar Nomoko
Outstanding Support (Non Teaching)
- Claire Nelson
- Mandy MacDonald
Club/Society of the Year
- Volleyball
Best Student Event
- Author Event - Tawona Sithole
Outstanding Research or Dissertation Supervisor
- Kyle Smith
Outstanding Feedback
- Simon Fraser
- Ricky Neil
Overall Student Winner
- Anna Croll
- Omar Nomoko
OBIs 2021
OBIs 2021
Representatives of the Highlands and Islands Students Association at Perth College UHI hosted their annual OBI Awards on Friday 28 May - bringing students and staff together online despite ongoing challenges due to COVID-19.
The HISA Perth team transitioned the celebration online for the first time in 2020, to ensure the winning staff and students were given the recognition they deserved throughout the pandemic. An integral aspect of the Perth College UHI calendar, the OBI Awards acknowledge the Outstanding, Best and Inspiring staff and students, who dedicate their time to making the college more diverse and inclusive for all.
The awards allowed students to nominate in nine different categories from ‘Most Inspiring Lecturer’ to ‘Best Student Event’, and entries were judged by a panel consisting of staff, students, and student officers from Perth College UHI.
Commenting on the OBI Awards, HISA Perth President, Alex Wilson, said:
"Despite the challenges both staff and students have experienced, we were overjoyed to see the number and quality of nominations we received this year and how much our college community has supported each other during these difficult times.
“We were keen to replicate the face to face awards ceremony we would normally have in an online setting, so we're pleased that some of the nominees were able to make it along and give their thanks. Our biggest thanks go to those who took the time to submit a nomination form - this year more than ever it has meant a lot to those who received them."
Dr Margaret Cook, Perth College UHI Principal, added:
“The past year hasn’t been easy for our staff and students, but the OBI Awards shine a light on the very best of college life. There were many outstanding testimonials describing the excellent work of our staff and students that contribute to the student experience in Perth, and we are so appreciative of those that have helped us to foster a supportive college community throughout the challenges of the pandemic. We congratulate all those who were awarded an OBI, recognising the best, most inspiring and outstanding people within Perth College UHI.”
This years winners were:
Most Inspiring Lecturer: Kirstie Burn and Chris Heaney
Best Personal Academic Tutor: Scott Innes and Tracy MacGregor
Best Class Representative: Sarah Melvin and Lawrence Mullen
Most Inspiring Student: Debora Lato and Elliot Ralston
Outstanding Feedback: James Alexander and Laura Kelly
Outstanding Support Award (Non-teaching): David Gourlay
Best Research or Dissertation Supervisor: Nick Green
Best Club or Society: ESOL Book Club
Best Student Event: The Christmas High Tea organised by Professional Cookery
Best Overall Student: Winfrida Mwongela and Elliot Ralston