OBI Awards

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!"

An Awards ceremony at Perth College UHI 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!”

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.”