Team featuring Leeds academic scoops award for innovative English language skills programme for students from refugee backgrounds
The Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) recognises and rewards collaborative work that has had a demonstrable impact on teaching and learning.
A team of university, education and charity professionals including an academic at the University of Leeds has won Advance HE’s prestigious Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) for a programme that enables students from refugee backgrounds to improve their academic English skills.
Advance HE partners with higher education institutions worldwide to enhance outcomes for staff, students and society. Its Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) recognises and rewards collaborative work that has had a demonstrable impact on teaching and learning.
The team, which included Deirdre McKenna, Associate Professor in English for Academic Purposes at the University of Leeds’ Language Centre, scooped Advance HE’s award for their RefugEAP programme, a free online pre-university academic English language and skills programme for refugee-background students. McKenna is co-lead for the programme, alongside Aleks Palanac at the University of Leicester’s Sanctuary Seekers’ Unit.
Deirdre McKenna, 2025. Photo credit: Dustin Smith, Skywall Photography.
The RefugEAP programme is for students who need to improve their academic English language and academic skills to help them access a degree programme at university, but perhaps have not yet been able to access a formal pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programme. RefugEAP has been developed to meet this need, providing students with an opportunity to continue to develop their academic English skills in a supportive way while they are waiting for more formal opportunities to become available.
Reacting to the award, Deirdre McKenna said:
"We are delighted that the RefugEAP Team has received this award. It is especially meaningful because the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence recognises the power of partnership, which has been central to RefugEAP from the outset. At a time of significant challenges for higher education and growing social division, the programme demonstrates what can be achieved when people and organisations come together around a shared purpose. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to RefugEAP's success, particularly our students, volunteers and partners."
Alistair Jarvis CBE, Chief Executive of Advance HE, said that the recipients of the 2026 Collaborative Awards for Teaching Excellence “exemplify the dedication, creativity and leadership that underpin outstanding higher education”.
“Through their commitment to students and continual enhancement of teaching and learning, they are making a significant contribution to their institutions and the wider sector. I am pleased to recognise their achievements and celebrate the impact they have made on students, colleagues and communities throughout the UK.”
The RefugEAP Programme has been developed by staff at the University of Leicester’s Sanctuary Seekers’ Unit and the University of Leeds Language Centre. It is being kindly supported by dedicated volunteer tutors and a number of partner organisations, including Breaking Barriers, Screen Share, Password Testing, Duolingo, Good Things Foundation, and WordWise.
