Reimagine Education
Awards Application
Guide
QS Reimagine Education
inspires a community of
ground-breaking innovators
who are transforming the
educational landscape,
enhancing learning
outcomes, and supporting
the employability of future
generations
Contents
Introduction 3
How to Apply & Key Dates 4
The Judging Process 5
Judging Criteria: Explained 7
Award Categories 9
Regional Awards 13
FAQ’s 14
QS Reimagine Education Awards: Application Guide | 2
25,000 USD 25,000 USD
prize fund for the winner of the worth of Google Cloud credits
Global Education Award. granted to the winner of the
Global EdTech Award
QS Reimagine Education Awards:
A Showcase of Global Innovations
QS Reimagine Education Awards serve as a The Global Education Award winner receives
prestigious platform to recognise and celebrate a prize fund of 25,000 USD, which not only
pioneers of education across the world, fostering acknowledges their outstanding achievements
a vibrant community of innovators committed to but also provides financial support to further
redefining learning and employability for future enhance and scale their innovative educational
generations. initiatives. This prize fund serves as an
investment in their future success, allowing
them to continue making a significant difference
The call for submission is open until in education.
September 1st at 23:59 BST.
In addition, the Global EdTech Award winner is
granted Google Cloud credits worth 25,000
With 18 diverse awards categories, we honour USD. These credits provide access to powerful
the most transformative and forward-thinking cloud-based tools and services, enabling the
programs, technologies, and pedagogical winner to leverage cutting-edge technologies
approaches that are revolutionising education. and infrastructure to drive their edtech solutions
to new heights. This support from Google Cloud
Each year, we attract over 1200 submissions empowers the winner to innovate, expand, and
from around the globe which undergo a rigorous deliver transformative educational experiences
evaluation process by our esteemed panel of to learners around the world.
900+ international expert judges.
Join us in celebrating the visionaries and
Through the Reimagine Education Awards, we pioneers who are shaping the future of
honour the exceptional efforts of educators, education. Together, let’s embrace innovation,
institutions, and edtech startups in preparing share knowledge, and collaborate to transform
learners for the challenges of the future. education for a brighter tomorrow.
The awards celebrate excellence and inspire
collaboration.
QS Reimagine Education Awards: Application Guide | 3
How to Apply & Key Dates
Call for Submissions is now open, and the Academic (Mature), Venture (Early-stage), or
application window will run until Sunday 1st Venture (Mature) – these are applicable to all
September 2024. categories except for ‘Best use of Generative AI’,
‘Innovation in Business Education’, ‘The Power
The application form has been designed to of Partnerships’, and ‘Sustainability Education
enable you to start your application, save your Awards’. You can read more about these
work, and return at any point to update and pathways in the pages to follow.
finally complete your application.
Now you are ready to start your application and
Before you get started with your application, proceed from there. It is part of our ethos that
you will need to identify the category that best the application process should be as accessible
represents your project. You can view these as the new pedagogies we’re trying to inspire, so
on the subsequent pages, or on the website at application is free for all participants. All award
www.reimagine-education/apply. winners will be announced live at the in-person
QS Reimagine Education Conference, London,
Once you have selected the most appropriate 9-11 December 2024. While attending the
category you will then be asked to select one conference is not obligatory to qualify for the
of four pathways – Academic (Early-stage), awards, we highly encourage attending as the
conference offers many advantages.
Key dates:
Tuesday 9 April 2024 Monday 9th December 2024
Reimagine Education Awards Regional Awards winners announced
competition opens
Sunday 1st September 2024 Tuesday 10th & Wednesday 11th
Competition closes its call for submissions December 2024
Category Award winners announced
Mid-October 2024 Wednesday 11th December 2024
Shortlisted applicants will be announced Global Education Award winner, Global EdTech
Award winner revealed
*Please note all dates are provisional and subject to change
QS Reimagine Education Awards: Application Guide | 4
The Judging Process
When applying for the Reimagine Education Awards, you will be asked to fill in a
series of sections explaining your project. Each of these sections will be analysed
by our panel of judges and graded based on their success in meeting certain criteria
that are explained below.
However, the precise sections you are asked to fill out, and the weight assigned to each
of these sections, will vary depending on three factors, namely:
(1) The stage of development that this project has reached;
(2) Whether the project is classified as ‘Academic’ or ‘Venture’
(a nomenclature that is explained below);
(3) Whether or not you are applying for the six award categories that have just one
pathway (Best use of Generative AI, Innovation in Business Education, The Power
of Partnerships, Smart Omnichannel Campus, Sustainability Education Action and
Literacy Awards)
The judging process has been developed to ensure that early-stage projects are judged
on their own terms, rather than against well-established academic programs or global
technology companies. Upon applying, you will be asked to assign your project to one of
four categories:
1. Academic (Early-stage): 3. Venture (Early-stage):
This category will be inhabited, typically, This category will be inhabited by applicants
by projects from K12 educators and from ed tech companies, education
academics in the higher education space. startups, social enterprises, and education
It will be inhabited by projects still at the foundations. However, these applicants will
research-proposal (prepublication) stage, not own companies that have undergone
that have not yet been implemented in an IPO, received above a certain amount of
schools or universities, or that have not yet revenue or funding, or achieved late-stage
received research funding project development milestones.
2. Academic (Mature): 4. Venture (Mature):
This category will be inhabited, again, by This category will be inhabited by applicants
projects from the K12 and higher education from large, developed ed tech companies,
space. It will feature projects that have established education foundations, and
received research funding, enjoyed leading social enterprises. It will be inhabited
publication and citation, or have been by projects with a large, established user
successfully implemented into schools base, extended growth achieved, and high
and/or universities. levels of revenue and funding.
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It is crucial to understand that these four pathways are not award categories: one does not
apply for, say, the ‘Academic (Early-stage) Award’, this simply determines the criteria that
judges will use to assess your work, and are designed to facilitate fair comparison.
The QS Reimagine Education Awards focus on:
(1) Innovation – What makes makes your project innovative and how does it compare
to competitors
(2) Impact/Potential Impact – How does your project provide a solution, who has/
is benefiting from this and how is it leading to improved learning outcomes and
employability.
(3) Depth or Scalability – Depth can be selected if scaling up is not the goal but the
aim is to deepen impact or enhance quality.
*The above applies to all categories except for Innovation in Business Education and
Smart Omnichannel Campus which rather than depth or scalability focus on Access,
Diversity & incusion, and Sustainability & Scalability, respectively.
Applicants have the opportunity to upload or provide a link to supporting evidence
after each relevant section.
We have also provided the opportunity for projects to provide a 2-minute video pitch and/
or demonstration. This is not mandatory and will not be weighted but we encourage you to
take advanatge as this can support your application.
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Judging Criteria: Explained
To ensure clarity, the tables below indicate the full breakdown of the judging process for
each of the eight pathways:
Early-Stage Mature
Judging Criterion Weight Assigned Judging Criterion Weight Assigned
Innovation Innovation
40% 40%
2 questions 2 questions
Impact / Potential
Impact
Impact 30% 30%
3 questions
3 questions
Depth or Depth or
Scalability 30% Scalability 30%
3 questions 3 questions
Best use of Generative AI The Power of Partnerships
Judging Criterion Weight Assigned Judging Criterion Weight Assigned
Innovation Innovation
40% 40%
2 questions 2 questions
Impact / Potential
Impact
Impact 30% 30%
3 questions
3 questions
Depth or Depth or
Scalability 30% Scalability 30%
3 questions 3 questions
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Innovation in Business Education Smart Omnichannel Campus
Judging Criterion Weight Assigned Judging Criterion Weight Assigned
Curricular
Innovation
Innovation 50% 40%
2 questions
3 questions
Impact Impact
30% 30%
3 questions 3 questions
Access, Diversity Sustainability &
& Inclusion 20% Scalability 30%
4 questions 3 questions
Sustainability Education: Action Sustainability Education: Literacy
Judging Criterion Weight Assigned Judging Criterion Weight Assigned
Innovation Innovation
40% 40%
2 questions 2 questions
Impact Impact
30% 30%
3 questions 3 questions
Depth or Depth or
Scalability 30% Scalability 30%
3 questions 3 questions
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Award Categories
This section enumerates all of the avenues by which applicants can reimagine education this year,
ensuring that innovators from across the education landscape will be acknowledged. A brief explanation
of the requirements and focus for each category is included.
Future of Learning
Artificial Intelligence in Apply to this category if your project utilises AI technologies like
Education machine learning and natural language processing to enrich teaching
and learning experiences. The focus is leveraging AI to improve
educational outcomes, enhance teaching efficiency, and personalise
learning. This also includes adaptive learning systems, intelligent
tutoring, automated grading, personalised learning platforms,
predictive analytics, content recommendations, learning analytics
for curriculum enhancement, and student enrollment/course
recommendations.
Best use of Apply to this category if your project uses GPT-like autoregressive
Generative AI models for educational purposes, aiming to enhance education by
generating personalised learning resources such as study guides,
practice quizzes, and educational articles, as well as developing
interactive cases and simulations. Also includes supporting language
learners, acting as a virtual tutor, aiding with writing tasks and
research, and providing alternative access to educational content
for learners with disabilities, real-time lesson planning, curriculum
development, and classroom management.
Blended and Presence The Blended and Presence Learning Award will be given to an
Learning outstanding educational programme that has innovated in-person
learning or skillfully combined traditional in-person teaching
with online learning to create a dynamic and effective learning
experience.
E-Learning This E-Learning prize will be awarded to the best electronic learning
programme that utilises existing or innovative technological tools
that facilitate and support learning through the use of information
and communications technology.
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Future of Learning
Immersive Apply to this category if your institution or organisation
experiential learning demonstrates the best example of immersive experiential learning
(XR including AR/VR/ where learners benefit from being immersed in a digital world and
mixed realities, Gaming, are given opportunities to practice critical lessons.
The Metaverse and Beyond)
Learning Assessment Apply to this category if you/your team have created a project that
reimagines the way we assess learners grasp of course content/
key skills. This award will be given to the project that aims to explore
and improve the way we currently assess how much learners
have learned, and how deeply they have understood what they
have learned.
Neuroscience The focus of this award is to identify projects that demonstrate
of Learning exceptional utilisation of cutting-edge neuroscience research
to optimise learning outcomes. We are particularly interested in
initiatives that not only apply these discoveries effectively but also
contribute to the advancement of instructional methodologies,
leading to a more profound impact on the learning process.
Future of Universities
Innovation in Business This prize will be awarded to a higher education institution that
Education has undertaken a transformative journey to reshape its curriculum,
thereby revolutionising the landscape of Business Education.
Through innovative approaches, groundbreaking methodologies,
and visionary leadership, the recipient institution has redefined the
standards and practices in the field, setting a new benchmark for
excellence in business education worldwide.
*NEW* Smart The Smart Omnichannel Campus Award celebrates universities that
Omnichannel Campus masterfully integrate physical and digital learning environments,
including those with entirely online campuses. We seek institutions
that are employing cutting-edge IoT technology to enhance
learner engagement, create personalised learning experiences, and
streamline communication across all platforms, fostering a seamless,
inclusive educational community for all.
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Future of Universities
The Power of This prize will be awarded to the insitution or organisation adept at
Partnerships leveraging partnerships for innovation, scalability, and enhancing
offerings, thus enriching the learning journey and outcomes. Through
strategic alliances and a commitment to excellence, the recipient
has not only transformed their institution/organisation but also
influenced the wider educational landscape, inspiring others to
embrace collaborative potential.
Future of Work
Developing This prize will be awarded to the project or initiative that is
Emerging Skills and effectively developing skills and competencies required for the
Competencies present and future of work. For example, artificial intelligence,
blockchain technology, cloud computing, machine learning, data
science, data security but also cognitive flexibility, emotional and
social intelligence, creative and innovative mindset.
Lifelong Learning The Lifelong Learning Award will be given to the project or
initiative that demostrates impact and effectiveness in providing
opportunities for personal and professional development, including
upskilling and re-skilling, beyond formal education.
Nurturing This award seeks projects that can clearly demonstrate a link
Employability between their project’s approach and improved employability
outcomes. What traits and/or skills do you find employers to be
lacking in their hires, and how does your project help its users to
enhance these traits and/or skills? Can your project help employers
to better identify the traits and/or skills they desire in their hires?
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Sustainability
*NEW* Sustainability The Sustainability Education Action Award celebrates projects
Education: Action that have actively implemented sustainability education, inspiring
tangible change, demonstrating leadership through campus
initiatives, community partnerships, and advocacy, fostering a more
sustainable future.
*NEW* Sustainability The Sustainability Education Literacy Award celebrates exceptional
Education: Literacy commitment to advancing sustainability education. It recognises
efforts promoting understanding on environmental, social, and
economic challenges. Recipients integrate sustainability principles
across curricula, fostering interdisciplinary learning and empowering
learners to become informed global citizens.
Values
Access, Diversity & This award celebrates projects that have demonstrated exceptional
Inclusion commitment to ensuring equitable access to education for all
learners, regardless of background or circumstance. Projects for
this award have implemented innovative strategies, policies, or
programmes that have expanded opportunities, created inclusive
environments, and celebrated diversity within educational settings,
fostering a culture of belonging and empowerment for all.
Nurturing Values The Nurturing Values and Ethics Award recognises initiatives
and Ethics dedicated to instilling values and ethics in education. It celebrates
innovative programmes promoting integrity, empathy, and ethical
decision-making. Initiatives foster respect, responsibility, and ethical
leadership, inspiring positive contributions to communities.
Nurturing Wellbeing This award celebrates projects fostering mental and/or physical
and Purpose wellbeing and clarity of purpose within educational communities. It
recognises initiatives implementing innovative strategies prioritising
mental health, physical wellbeing, resilience, and purpose among
learners, faculty, and stakeholders. These projects contribute
significantly to creating supportive environments that nurture holistic
development, promote self-care, and inspire individuals to thrive
academically, socially, and emotionally.
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Regional Awards
The shortlisted entries of our main competition are also eligible to receive a
Regional Award if they are created by a team or an organisation based and/or active
in one or more of the regions below.
Africa Middle East
Asia North America
Europe Oceania
Latin America
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Frequently
Asked
Questions
Refer to the FAQ section on
Reimagine Education website:
www.reimagine-education.com/faq
QS Reimagine Education Awards: Application Guide | 14
Reimagine Education
