#WeAreInternational Awards categories

This award honours an individual staff member who actively values and champions the perspectives and voices of international students in their policy and decision-making processes. It recognises education providers or students’ unions that design their strategic plans and governance strategies with a strong emphasis on the international student experience, ensuring that these students are integral stakeholders in shaping the institution's future.  

This award is named in tribute to Alastair Niven, who served as the Chair of UKCISA from 1987 to 1992. Alastair was deeply involved in supporting international mobility through his work with the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission, Council for Education in the Commonwealth, British Council, and as Principal of Cumberland Lodge. He was also a successful author and a former judge of the Booker Prize. His legacy continues to inspire efforts to enhance the international student experience. 

Criteria:  

Nominees must be individual staff members currently employed by, or working at, an education provider or students’ union that holds UKCISA membership.  

• Demonstrated commitment to including international students in institutional policy and decision-making. 
• Development and implementation of strategic plans that consider the international student experience in the short, mid, and long term. 
• Active collaboration with student bodies to ensure diverse perspectives are represented. 
• Evidence of positive outcomes resulting from the inclusion of international student voices. 
• Initiatives that foster a culture of inclusivity and representation within the institution. 

This award honours an individual staff member who has shown outstanding dedication and support to international students. It recognises a staff member who has gone above and beyond in their role, providing exceptional guidance, mentorship, and assistance to ensure the success and well-being of international students. The award celebrates the staff member's commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment. 

Criteria: 

Nominees must be individual staff members currently employed by, or working at, an education provider or students’ union that holds UKCISA membership. 

• Demonstrated commitment to supporting international students. 
• Exceptional mentorship and guidance provided to international students. 
• Positive impact on the international student experience. 
• Innovative approaches to student support and engagement. 
• Evidence of dedication and going above and beyond in their role. 

This award recognises a team or teams within an education provider or a students’ union that provide exemplary support to international students in navigating visa and immigration processes. It honours education providers or students’ unions that offer timely, accurate, and consistent information on immigration-related issues, ensuring that students are well-informed about their application, arrival, entitlements, and responsibilities.  

Criteria: 

Nominees must be an individual team or teams within an education provider or students’ union that holds UKCISA membership. 

• Provision of comprehensive accurate and accessible immigration information and guidance. 
• Effective and proactive communication strategies to address immigration concerns, especially during periods of change or crisis. 
• Innovative initiatives to minimise negative impacts of immigration-related issues on students. 
• Collaboration with external sources for additional support and advice.  
• Evidence of collaborating with international students to design, implement, and evaluate support initiatives, ensuring they meet actual needs.  

This award celebrates a team or teams within an education provider or a students’ union that excel in helping international students make a home in the UK. It recognises efforts to provide straightforward information about key areas such as healthcare, accommodation, transport, and finances. The award also honours initiatives that facilitate social and cultural integration, promote connections between international students and the wider student body and local community, and support a safe, healthy, and positive international student experience. 

Criteria: 

Nominees must be an individual team or teams within an education provider or students’ union that holds UKCISA membership. 

• Comprehensive and easily accessible support for navigating life in the UK. 
• Innovative and impactful projects and programmes to foster deep social, cultural and community integration for international students.  
• Proactive adaptation of support to address emerging challenges informed by student experience. 
• Evidence of collaborating with international students to design, implement, and evaluate support initiatives, ensuring they meet actual needs.  

This award honours a team or teams within an education provider or a students’ union that provide outstanding support to international students in their academic journey. It recognises efforts to help students transition smoothly into UK academic life and fully integrate into the academic community. The award highlights support for understanding academic standards, pedagogical relationships, assessment criteria, and areas such as academic writing and integrity. 

Criteria: 

Nominees must be an individual team or teams within an education provider or students’ union that holds UKCISA membership. 

• Highly effective and innovative academic transition programmes for international students to ease integration.  
• Proactive and accessible support for understanding UK academic standards and practices. 
• Accessible guidance on academic writing, integrity, and relationships with academic staff. 
• Projects and programmes that bridge cultural differences in academic expectations, pedagogy, and integrity, to help integrate international students into the academic community. 
• Evidence of collaborating with international students to design, implement, and evaluate support initiatives, ensuring they meet actual needs.  

This award recognises a team or teams within an education provider or a students’ union that provide exceptional support for the physical and mental well-being of international students. It honours efforts to accommodate the full diversity of the international student community and address unique challenges such as culture shock, diverse understandings of wellbeing, and healthcare practices. The award highlights inclusive communication and engagement strategies to ensure access to wellbeing services. 

Criteria: 

Nominees must be an individual team or teams within an education provider or students’ union that holds UKCISA membership. 

• Comprehensive wellbeing support tailored to international students. 
• Initiatives to address unique challenges faced by international students. 
• Proactive and inclusive communication and engagement strategies. 
• Collaboration with external wellbeing services and resources. 
• Evidence of collaborating with international students to design, implement, and evaluate support initiatives, ensuring they meet actual needs.  

This award celebrates international student-led groups and associations that demonstrate innovative approaches to internationalisation and fostering an inclusive global community on and off campus. It recognises creativity, originality, and the ability to bring diverse groups together through unique initiatives. The award honours a group of international students who promote cross-cultural understanding, collaboration, and the creation of a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.  

Criteria: 

Nominees must be an active international student society or group in the UK between January 2024 and June 2025. 

• Innovation and creativity in project delivery or event organising that celebrates culture cultural exchange and internationalisation on campus and in local communities.   
• Positive impact on fostering an inclusive global community. 
• Successful engagement of diverse groups and promotion of cross-cultural understanding. 
• Evidence of project or event outcomes and achievements. 

This award recognises international students who have powerfully amplified the student voice to drive impactful changes for the international student experience at the institutional or national level. It honours individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in advocating for policy changes and initiating impactful projects that enhance the overall student experience. This award celebrates those who turn advocacy into action, champion inclusivity, and create a more supportive environment through their voice and leadership.  

Criteria: 

Nominees must be an international student representative or student studying at a UKCISA member institution between January 2024 and June 2025. 

• Demonstrated leadership in advocating for international student issues. 
• Successful implementation of initiatives that improve the international student experience. 
• Positive impact on institutional or national policies and practices. 
• Collaboration with key stakeholders to drive change. 

This award celebrates an outstanding international student whose individual achievements, positive spirit, and impactful contributions have significantly enriched their student community and beyond. It recognises those who shine brightly – not necessarily through formal leadership roles - but through their dedication, resilience, community spirit, and inspiring influence across any area of student life: academic, social, cultural, or voluntary.  

This award honours students who truly embody the #WeAreInternational spirit: building bridges, fostering understanding, and demonstrating the remarkable impact international students make every day. 

Criteria: 

Nominees must be an international student studying at a UKCISA member institution between January 2024 and June 2025. 

• Evidence of outstanding achievement, initiative, or positive engagement in any area of student life (e.g., academics, arts, sports, clubs and societies, volunteering, community work, peer support, cultural exchange, etc.) 
• Evidence of how the nominee has positively inspired, supported or uplifted fellow students and/or the wider community  
• Demonstrated resilience in overcoming challenges and acting as a positive role model for international students  
• Evidence of fostering a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for others. 

This award recognises an international alumnus who has made significant contributions to their field or community in the UK after graduation. It honours an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact in their professional or personal endeavours. The award celebrates the alumnus's achievements and their ongoing commitment to fostering positive change and promoting the values of international education. Additionally, this award highlights how the winner has set an inspiring example for current and future international students, paving the way for generations to come. 

Criteria: 

Nominees must be an international graduate from a UKCISA member institution, and graduated after June 2021. 

• Demonstrated leadership and innovation in their field or community in the UK. 
• Significant contributions and positive impact post-graduation. 
• Commitment to promoting the values of international education. 
• Evidence of ongoing engagement with the international student community. 
• Recognition and achievements in their professional or personal endeavours. 
• Inspirational role model for current and future international students. 

This award recognises an institution that has successfully integrated sustainability as a core value in its internationalisation strategies. It celebrates education providers or students’ unions who actively address the climate crisis by designing and implementing strategies that involve international students as key stakeholders in the decision-making process. The award highlights initiatives that consider sustainable alternatives to policies and practices, aiming to minimise negative environmental impacts while fostering a culture of sustainability within the international education community. 

Criteria: 

Nominees must be an education provider or a students’ union that holds UKCISA membership. 

• Demonstrated commitment to sustainability in internationalisation strategies. 
• Active involvement of international students in sustainability decision-making processes. 
• Implementation of innovative and sustainable practices that address climate change. 
• Measurable positive environmental impacts resulting from the institution's strategies 
• Promotion of sustainability awareness and education among international students and staff.