IMPERIAL AWARD

STUDENT GUIDANCE
 Your time at Imperial will pass
so quickly — the Imperial
Award is designed to help
you make the most of your
experience

Imperial students like you are the heart of the

College community and I am personally inspired
when I see the breadth, depth and impact of the
activities in which you participate. Your activity not
only makes a significant contribution to College life,
but also shapes you as a future professional.
You will find that your time at Imperial will pass so
quickly — the Imperial Award is designed to help you
make the most of your experience, by providing a
Emma McCoy developmental journey within which you will reflect
Interim Vice-Provost on your experiences and discover more about your
(Education &
potential.
Student Experience)
The Award provides a structured approach to
improving specific attributes that our students,
staff as well as employers have identified as key to
success in the 21st century. It gives you the space
not only to improve and build confidence, but also
to savour and take pride in your achievements.
Upon completing the Award and receiving
recognition from the College and Imperial College
Union, you will have evidenced your development in
each of the attributes and will have gained lifelong
skills to help make the most of future opportunities.

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The benefits

The Imperial Award helps you develop practical self-reflection

skills to make the most of your experiences
It carries official weight. Success in one or more streams of
the Award earns you extra lines on your College graduation
transcript
Registering for the Imperial Award gives you access to our
Award-specific online tools and guidance, including
our portfolio builder
Building your portfolio and mapping your attributes will
help you discover more about yourself and your potential
Working towards the Imperial Award will help you to effectively
communicate extra-academic competencies and attributes that
are highly valued by recruiters and the broader community
To help you get the most out of the Imperial Award, you will be
given developmental feedback throughout your journey: from
using online tools, your peers, during workshops and when
you submit a statement
Your degree performance does not influence the Award
assessors, so this is a new arena for gaining extra recognition
from Imperial ▴

Imperial Award Scheme | Student guidance

What is the
Imperial Award?
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3

The Imperial Award encourages

self-reflection on specific skills
valued by society and employers.

I
n today’s fast changing environment, WHAT IS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE
personal development and soft skills THE IMPERIAL AWARD?
are required to complement the The Award recognises students who
technical skills and knowledge acquired evidence the transformative impact of
during a degree. Structured around three their engagement in activities whilst
main streams, or areas of competency, at university. It requires students to
the Imperial Award is designed to support demonstrate critical reflection upon how
you in reflecting on, and evidencing their experiences have helped them
vital attributes such as creativity, develop specific attributes.
communication, and problem solving.
Working towards the Imperial Award you
By participating in the Programme you
will need to:
will gain greater confidence in your skills
and improve your ability to articulate your ▴▴ Capture and record your activities
skills effectively to various audiences, and experiences;
including future employers.
▴▴ Reflect upon the significance of
The Imperial Award can shape some of each attribute;
your Personal Tutor or mentor meetings,
helping you to get more out of them. ▴▴ Map your experiences against the
Finally, it will help you discover more Imperial Award attributes;
about your self and your potential, ▴▴ Write a short reflective statement
empowering you to make informed explaining why specific experiences
choices for your life and career. caused you to develop each attribute
and the impact that this has had on
yourself and others;

▴▴ Reflect on and incorporate feedback

from assessors during the process ▴

Imperial
Imperial Award
Award Scheme
Scheme | Student guidance
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The structure

T
he Imperial Award is split into To complete a stream, you will need
three streams, each containing to effectively communicate why your
four attributes. Every stream experiences caused you to develop
requires you to submit a separate, short each of the attributes within that stream,
reflective statement demonstrating how building a convincing argument that
you meet the criteria for each attribute in you meet the Award criteria.
that stream. You do not need to submit
You will be formally recognised on
statements for each stream at the same
your official College transcript for each
time; you can plan to spread them out.
stream attained.
The Award webpage lists key dates.
Students who gain all three streams
There are multiple chances to submit
will be recognised as having achieved
statements, each year.
the full Imperial Award ▴
To prepare your statement you will need
Further information on each of the
to recall, discuss and reflect on your
Imperial Award streams and attributes
chosen activities and experiences in
is provided on page 14.
relation to the Imperial Award attributes.

IMPERIAL AWARD STREAMS AND ATTRIBUTES

Innovative approach
Stream one
Creativity
Independent,
Practical, intelligent problem-solving
open-minded thought
Enterprising mind-set

Communication and active listening

Stream two Motivation
Effective teamwork Awareness of group dynamics and collaboration
Strategic mind-set

Critical self-analysis/self-evaluation
Stream three
Social conscience
Self-awareness and
Recognising opportunities
active self-management
Global mind-set

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Gaining the
Imperial Award
Register online

Use the online support resources to make sure

you understand what is required

Start capturing your activities and experiences

in your online portfolio

Map your experiences to the Award attributes

in your online portfolio (Use this like a diary or journal)

Discuss and plan your progress with your personal tutor,

mentor or your peers

Use the Reflection and Reflective Writing guide

to help you select and reflect upon your experiences
The Imperial Award requires
Participate in Imperial Award workshops to practice an iterative approach, you
and improve your reflective writing skills may need to go through some
steps multiple times before
Decide that you’re ready and then write you are successful.
and submit your short reflective statement(s)

Receive feedback from the assessors. If you

are not successful, you will be told how to improve
so you can try again 

Each successful stream is acknowledged on your

graduation transcript, but with a complete set of three
streams you will be acknowledged as completing
‘The Imperial Award’

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Registration
and support
REGISTRATION Watch our video and read our guide
To register online visit: on Reflection and Reflective Writing,
imperialcollegeunion.org/imperial-award which you can access online. Support
workshops are offered regularly
Once registered, you will gain access
to all students participating in the
to the Imperial Award portfolio to let
Award. For more information and
you begin capturing, reflecting on
to access all support resources
and mapping your experiences.
visit imperialcollegeunion.org/
You will also be added to the Imperial imperial-award.
Award mailing list and invited to Imperial
If you have any specific questions
Award workshops and events.
or concerns, please email us using
SUPPORT [email protected]
Try to meet with your Personal Tutor
ONLINE PORTFOLIO
or mentor to discuss your progress
By registering to the Imperial Award,
through the Imperial Award. They can
you will gain access to your personal
help you reflect on your experiences
online portfolio (this is private and only
and set goals. They can also offer advice
you can see its content). This is a virtual
reflecting on your evidence of attributes.
journalling tool, specifically designed
We recommend meeting with your so that you can capture and then reflect
Personal Tutor, mentor or peers at least on your experiences against the Award
once per term so that you can track and attributes.
discuss your development. Negotiate
and book meetings with them in OVERVIEW MATRIX
advance. Your online tools also include a matrix,
generated when you map your activities
against each attribute. Your matrix
shows you where you have strengths
and gaps in support of a particular
Award stream ▴

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ACTIVITY
RECORDING

EXPERIENCES

MAPPING
ATTRIBUTES

THE MATRIX
OVERVIEW

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The process
PORTFOLIO AWARD SUBMISSION AND ASSESSOR FEEDBACK

RECORD ACTIVITIES AND MAP AND EVIDENCE WRITE AND SUBMIT A SHORT
REFLECTION
EXPERIENCES ONLINE AT T RIBUTES REFLECTIVE STATEMENT

You can capture and record anything You will need to align your activities Before you start to write your Your written, short reflective
in your online portfolio; only you can and experiences to the attributes. statement, take time to think about statements for each stream must
see the details. It will be extremely Your online portfolio enables you to your activities and experiences be submitted through the Imperial
helpful when you decide to write your judge which experiences align best, in relation to the Imperial Award Award system. Each stream requires
statements, prepare your CV or cover and which gaps you wish to fill with attributes. Use the ‘Reflection a separate statement; you cannot
letter and when preparing for an new experiences. and Reflective Writing’ guide, the combine them. You will receive
interview. ‘Reflective Writing workshop’ and feedback from the assessors for each
our video ‘A guide to self-reflection’ statement you submit, which you
to help you develop your skills. should further reflect upon.
Example activities: Stream one: Independent,
open-minded thought
Academic or wellbeing representation You must fulfil the Award criteria in
Innovative approach Stream one relation to every attribute in a stream.
Clubs, societies and projects
Creativity Independent, open-minded thought
Event organisation and management To receive the full Imperial Award you
Practical, intelligent problem-solving
Learning and study need to achieve each stream.
Enterprising mind-set
Life events You can work towards streams of the
Professional and personal Imperial Award at your own pace,
development Stream two: Effective teamwork throughout the course of your degree.
Research experiences Communication and active listening To avoid disappointment, we
Motivation Stream two recommend that you submit your
Teaching, tutoring or marking
Awareness of group dynamics Effective teamwork first statement before your final term
Volunteering
and collaboration of study.
Work (Casual, part-time or career
Strategic mind-set First year undergraduates can
experiences, enterprises)
sign-up for the Imperial Award but
This this is not exhaustive; you can Stream three: Self-awareness cannot submit until their second
draw upon any experience you feel and active self-management year, allowing time to gain
has caused personal development Critical self-analysis/self-evaluation Stream three experiences and reflect on their
related to the Award attributes. Social conscience Self-awareness and impact.
Recognising opportunities active self-management
Global mind-set

Online resources and workshops

Personal Tutor / mentor support

Assessor panel

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Statements
Your short reflective statement is submitted
through the Imperial Award online system.

E
ach statement must be no more
than 4,000 characters, which is
about one A4 page. You will need
to submit one statement per stream.
You cannot combine the streams; each
stream requires a separate statement.
Do not be tempted to re-use parts of
statements across streams. You can
discuss, but not copy, the work of others.
The Award requires your own personal
reflection.
For more guidance on writing your
statement read the Reflection &
Reflective Writing guide.

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY STATEMENT

FOR A STREAM?
Your written, short reflective statement
is submitted online at the link below.
Submission deadlines can be found
online at the link below.
imperialcollegeunion.org/
imperial-award ▴

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Imperial Award
criteria and
framework

T
he Imperial Award framework PARTIALLY MET
contains the definitions of the Partially met means that the panel may
Streams and Attributes; you can invite you to submit a little extra if they
find this on the next pages. The Imperial suspect that you might meet the Award
Award Criteria explains what is required criteria for each attribute if only you had
of a statement in order for a student to been more explicit about your evidence.
awarded a stream of the Award. This is about fixing minor problems.
When the assessors read your statement After this, if the assessors are satisfied
they will use the Criteria to decide if each that you have met the Award criteria, you
attribute has ‘Met’, ‘Partially met’ or ‘Not will be awarded the stream and the panel
met’ the criteria. will alert Registry to this add to your
transcript.
The overall outcome for your statement
will be equal to the lowest attribute If not, the panel will return your
outcome. For example, three out of four statement to you with advice on
attributes could be ‘Met’ but, if the final improvements to be made for a
attribute is ‘Not met’, then ‘Not met’ will future submission.
be your overall outcome.
NOT MET
WHAT DOES MY OVERALL The panel will give you feedback so
STATEMENT OUTCOME MEAN? that you can submit again, in the future,
after working on how you communicate
MET
the evidence for each Imperial Award
This means you have been successful
attribute. Discuss the feedback with
in communicating how you have
your Personal Tutor or mentor and the
developed all the attributes within
improvements or adjustments that
a particular stream; you will be
could be made.
awarded that stream.

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IMPERIAL AWARD CRITERIA (AS USED BY THE ASSESSORS)

Carefully read the Imperial Award Criteria below and the definitions of Streams and
Attributes in the Imperial Award Framework on the next two pages. These are used by
assessors as the basis for checking whether your statement meets the Award requirements.
The overall stream outcome is equal to the lowest attribute outcome.

NOT MET PARTIALLY MET MET

The assessor will regard the The assessor will regard the The assessor will regard the
attribute as not met if: attribute as partially met if: attribute as met if:
▴▴ The attribute is not discussed
▴▴ The student has written a ▴▴ The attribute is explicitly
▴▴ The attribute is merely statement which explicitly reflected upon
described (not discussed) reflected upon the attribute and
▴▴ The attribute is only indicated and ▴▴ The attribute is integrated
by a mere example (not
▴▴ The student demonstrates into a critically considered
discussed)
independent engagement in argument, using experiences
▴▴ The attribute is only implicit the activity as evidence
(instead of explicit)
but and
▴▴ The student does not
▴▴ The student has not yet ▴▴ The argument supports a clear
demonstrate understanding of
claimed and demonstrated and persuasive claim as to
the attribute
transformation, impact or how independent engagement
▴▴ The discussion lacks reflection personal development in the activities led to the
upon how the experience was transformative impact on
and/or
transformative (caused the the student and, where
▴▴ The student has not made
development of the attribute appropriate, others
links between the activity,
in the student).
impact, and the attribute
▴▴ The student does not
demonstrate independent
engagement in the activity
▴▴ The experience discussed
does not relate to the
attributes and stream

PLAGIARISM
All statements for the Imperial Award imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/library/
will be submitted through the plagiarism learning-support/plagiarism-awareness
detection software Turnitin.
COMPLAINTS
Cheating offences and plagiarism are If you encounter any issues concerning
taken very seriously and are dealt with the Imperial Award, we encourage
according to the College’s Cheating you to contact us by email:
Offences Policy & Procedures. [email protected] ▴
You can find out more information about
plagiarism on the Library webpages:

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THE IMPERIAL AWARD FRAMEWORK THE IMPERIAL AWARD ATTRIBUTES

Applying your scientific or research knowledge, or

Innovative approach skills, to improve an existing thing, or to develop,
Thinking for yourself and taking open-minded approaches to identify or establish something new.
situations or tasks means that you draw on, but are not confined Generating ideas and applying them to develop an
by, what you already know from your studies and from your life Creativity initiative, solve a problem, instigate a course of action,
experiences. The four attributes can be discussed in relation to or bring value to an individual, situation, or process.
Stream one
a single activity or may have been gained/demonstrated across
Independent,
several activities. Situations requiring independent thinking may Identifying a solution and justifying it with intelligent
open-minded thought Practical, intelligent problem-solving
have involved risks with no guarantee of success, and yet these reasoning.
situations can be highly transformative for you and others.
The emphasis in this stream is on the student’s ability to
distinguish the different aspects of each attribute and relate Identifying opportunities and taking risks to develop
them to their own thinking. Enterprising mind-set outcomes relevant in society or that have an impact
within an existing organisation.

Managing communication processes and the flow

Communication and active listening of information to ensure that teams work effectively
and that there is a shared understanding.

Imperial students have a strong tradition of group activities, Understanding how you or others are motivated,
however progressing beyond mere groupwork to effective teamwork Motivation using this understanding to help achieve a collective
requires an effort to understand teams, develop teamwork skills goal or aim.
Stream two
and apply them to enhance the team’s activities. Students will Observing and understanding how others behave and
Effective teamwork
use this stream to evidence their transformation into an effective Awareness of group dynamics and interact; using individuals’ different approaches and
contributor to a team, reflecting upon their impact on a team’s collaboration perspectives to benefit the team; and working with
operation and their contribution to team achievements. others to achieve a collective goal or aim.

Contributing to effective leadership, enabling a team

Strategic mind-set
to achieve its collective goals or aims.

Considering personal strengths and opportunities for

Critical self-analysis/self-evaluation self-improvement, presenting a case or argument to
Imperial students enjoy the reputation of people who can handle justify behaviour or personal development.
intense academic challenges. Many also enjoy a reputation for
Being conscious of how your values or ethos impacts
working to benefit society and for being achievers who can identify
Social conscience the application of your expert skills, knowledge and
Stream three opportunities and have an impact, aware of the world beyond their
experience and how your behaviour can affect others.
Self-awareness own context. In this stream, students are required to demonstrate
and active their emotional intelligence, to recall and reflect upon their own
Seizing and exploiting opportunities to further
self-management internal drivers and to consider their impact on others. Students Recognising opportunities
develop yourself.
will reflect upon instances and events which demonstrate attributes
going to the core of their identity and their ability to manage Appreciating broad social, cultural or international
transformation. contexts and adapting behaviours and approaches in
Global mind-set
a range of diverse situations, showing self-awareness
and empathy.

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Glossary of terms
Activities An activity is a source of personal experiences. It provides the
context for your experiences. Independently engaging in an
activity means that you were personally and directly involved
in doing the activity.

Attributes An attribute is personal characteristic, acquired because your

transformative experience(s) have changed the way you think
and, subsequently, act. The Imperial Award covers 12 attributes.

Award Criteria The criteria used by the assessor’s when assessing student
statements, as shown in the Student Guide.

Descriptive writing A style of writing only describing what you did and how you did
it. In the context of the Imperial Award it weakens your claim
because it lacks reflection on why an experience has caused
you to develop the attributes.

Evaluation You examine complex issues using your high-level cognitive skills.
More focussed than a review. Leads to a solution, conclusion or
recommendation.

Experiences An experience is anything that has had impact upon you during
your engagement in an activity.

Impact The difference it makes to self, others or a situation.

The difference between how things were before, and how things
are now.

Life events Experiences of handling challenges or opportunities in your

life. Includes health, money, personal responsibilities, legal
situations, etc.

Mapping Mapping means correlating, findings matches/gaps between

your experiences and the attributes. The online Portfolio contains
a mapping tool.

Matrix Automatically generated by the online portfolio, to summarise

the links and gaps in your evidence for the 12 Award attributes.

Other activities A catch-all category, in case we missed something.

Part-time work Any type: does not have to be professional or degree-related

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Personal Personal, as opposed to purely academic or professional,

development development of attributes

Portfolio Collecting your experiences into one document (folio). Add past
(diary/journal) experiences and then top-up regularly with new experiences.

Reflection Looking back on your experiences; sifting for significant

moments, transformative of the way you think and act.

Reflective Writing Writing that reveals your deep, thoughtful reflection about the
significance of your experiences in your personal development
of the attributes. Description is limited, only providing context
for the rest of the discussion.

Streams Attributes are split into three different streams, each with
a different emphasis. See Stream descriptors to understand
the differences.

Transformation Change in you which is probably irreversible. Evidence of

transformation can be experiences with such a strong impact
that they change the way you think and act.

Volunteering Any volunteering could give you transformative experiences.

Community, educational, health, engineering, medicine,
environmental, Imperial College Union roles, STEMM
ambassadors, etc.

Imperial Award Scheme | Student guidance

For more information email [email protected] | imperial.ac.uk/imperial-award | 2020