Professor John Yates has been awarded a £10,000 National Teaching Fellowship award for his excellence in teaching and innovative approach to learning.

The HEA National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) rewards teachers and learning support staff in Higher Education in England and Northern Ireland and the cash prize enables the winner to invest in supporting learning and teaching activities at their institution.

Professor Yates has been a member of staff at the University for over 15 years, spending the last four years as Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

In this position he has instigated significant change to the Department's curriculum, its delivery and assessment, and has championed a more rounded education for mechanical engineers.

He has expanded professional skills development, particularly in the areas of enterprise and design, provided students with more opportunities to gain real engineering experiences and has appointed teacher-practitioners to strengthen the teaching culture and deliver a broad curriculum relevant to the profession.

Professor Yates has also spent three years as the Director of the White Rose Centre for Excellence in the Teaching and Learning of Enterprise (WR CETLE)*.

This five year, £4.85 million project provides undergraduate and postgraduate students at Sheffield, Leeds and York with business, entrepreneurial and social enterprise skills to help them become effective professionals. In Sheffield, Professor Yates' team has expanded the range of extra-curricular training, advice and access to facilities available to students, as well as embedding enterprise education into departments.

Professor Yates said:

"I am absolutely delighted to become the third HEA National Teaching Fellow here in Sheffield. It is a great honour for me, personally, and it is wonderful that our efforts to provide the very best educational experience to our students have been recognised once more.

"I am especially grateful to all my colleagues in the Department, the University and the White Rose Centre for Excellence in the Teaching and Learning of Enterprise, without whose support over many years none of this would have been possible."

Professor Paul White, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at the University, said:

"I am delighted that the HEA has recognised John for the way he has led significant developments in teaching practices both within his own department and more widely across the University.

"John is a truly innovative leader who can inspire and manage others to deliver student experiences of the highest quality. His work in embedding enterprise into student curricula is outstanding, and he has consistently supported others who want to innovate within their own teaching."

"John is an asset to the University, his colleagues and the students he teaches. We are extremely proud to have him on our staff."