The CoLRiC Professional Development Award is an annual award that aims to:

1. Provide an opportunity to encourage innovation and excellence within learning resources services of UK and Irish Further Education colleges
2. Encourage a person working within or for the sector to disseminate good practice to other colleges

The award is to be conferred annually. The award winner will receive a certificate and £1000 towards their study.

The study should take no longer than 12 months (but extensions to the time may be granted by CoLRiC’s Executive Committee). Progress should be reported regularly to CoLRiC’s representative responsible for the Award.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any person working in a college learning resources service is eligible to apply; consideration will also be given to a postgraduate student whose interest is firmly rooted in the sector.

What are we looking for?

The successful applicant may aspire to provide:

1. A study which encapsulates the mission of CoLRiC;
2. Innovative practice in the development of college learning resources services;
3. Progress in the implementation of new services or new technologies;
4. Successful collaborative ventures or partnerships;
5. Creative approaches to marketing or promoting learning resources services.

Please note that applications do not need to address all these criteria.

Selection and other conditions of entry

1. The selection process will be administered by a panel from the CoLRiC Executive Committee, and the final selection will be made by the full CoLRiC Executive Committee. No member of the current Executive Committee of CoLRiC may apply. The decisions made by the selection panel are final and no correspondence will be entered into. CoLRiC reserves the right to withhold an award should the selection panel advise that no applications have sufficiently met CoLRiC’s objectives.
2. The winner will need to give a short presentation of their proposed research at CoLRiC’s Annual Meeting of Council, where the Award will be presented.
3. The findings of the research/study will be made available through the CoLRiC web site, an occasional paper, and an event. Copyright will remain with the author.

How to apply

1. Applications must clearly indicate the proposed benefits to the further education sector; describe the planned activities to meet the criteria of the award; give an indication of the timescale and costings of the proposed study
2. A brief CV, noting any research or publications, if any.
3. Applications must be created using the template (opens in a new window), and sent by email to colric@colric.org.uk. Attachments are acceptable.
4. All applications must be received by the closing date, 5:00pm on February 1st each year.
5. If you prefer, supporting documentation may be posted to: Jeff Cooper, Executive Director - CoLRiC - 122 Preston New Road, Blackburn, Lancashire BB2 6BU - Tel: 01254 662923; Fax: 01254 610979; email: colric@colric.org.uk