Volunteer Awards 2026

It's time for the 2026 Volunteer Awards! Nominations are now open! Vote below:

What are the volunteer awards?

The Volunteer Awards are an annual celebration of the volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make your university experience better. We celebrate our Society Leaders, Class Reps, Department Officers and a whole host of others who give up their time to make things run smoothly and make the student experience better for others.

Nominations period closes Friday 27th February.

the 2025 Volunteer Awards:

Stefan Kay Volunteer of the Year Award

The winner of this award is a student volunteer who has excelled in their capacity as a representative of Heriot-Watt University and Student Union, exceeding the expectations of their role, cultivating an on-campus environment that is supportive and inclusive, and demonstrating an impressive degree of effort and innovative ideas.

Principal’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Student Community

The winner of this award helped to get the student community involved with Heriot-Watt, demonstrated impressive effort and thought, and had a measurable impact on the Heriot-Watt community.

Principal’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community

The winner of this award helped to get the local community involved with Heriot-Watt, demonstrated impressive effort and thought, and had a measurable impact on the local community.

Society of the Year

The winner of this award has maintained high engagement with members, promoted inclusivity and diversity through its activities, demonstrated excellent teamwork between members, committee members, and / or other societies, and demonstrated innovation in its activities building and improving on the successes of previous years.

New Society of the Year

The winner of this award has shown successful growth and engagement, held innovative and creative events, worked in collaboration with other societies or groups, and demonstrated effective leadership and management to secure future growth.

Society Leader of the Year

The winner of this award has shown outstanding leadership qualities, introduced innovative ideas to enhance society activities, fostered a sense of inclusivity and belonging among members and the wider student community, and has left a lasting legacy through their impact on both the society's members and the wider student community.

Event of the Year

The winner of this award showed creativity, ambition, and originality, provided a friendly and welcoming environment, saw strong engagement from the student community, positively impacted attendees and / or the student experience at Heriot-Watt, and was well-organised with excellent planning and execution.

Department Officer of the Year

The winner of this award helped enact positive change to the learning and teaching experience of their department, fostered a healthy relationship between their classmates and staff, and consistently engaged in meetings and training sessions, relaying the results to their classmates.

Postgraduate Research Rep of the Year

The winner of this award led or supported work which inspired tangible change or impact, attended and contributed to meetings and training sessions, and communicated the outcomes of these to students, and supported their fellow students academically and / or professionally.

Postgraduate Taught Rep of the Year

The winner of this award led or supported work which inspired tangible change or impact, attended and contributed to meetings and training sessions, and communicated the outcomes of these to students, and supported their fellow students academically and / or professionally.

Undergraduate Class Rep of the Year

The winner of this award led or supported work which inspired tangible change or impact, attended and contributed to meetings and training sessions, and communicated the outcomes of these to students, and supported their fellow students academically and / or professionally.

CHANGEMAKER of the Year

This award recognises an individual or group who has championed positive change through campaigning or advocacy on an issue that matters to them. Whether acting independently or as part of a wider movement, they have demonstrated sustained commitment, driven meaningful change, and contributed to progress that has had, or will have, a tangible and lasting impact, with that impact felt within the University, the wider community, or beyond.

SCOTTISH BORDERS CAMPUS COMMUNITY CHAMPION of the Year

The winner of this award has made an exceptional contribution to the Scottish Borders Campus community, demonstrating dedication, creativity, and a genuine commitment to improving the student experience. They have had a measurable impact on the SBC community.

UNION VOLUNTEER of the Year

This award recognises a student who has volunteered their time and energy to support Student Union activities, initiatives, or representation. From Freshers’ Reps, event and Reloved volunteers, to members of the Executive Team, the winner has shown outstanding dedication, reliability, and care in their contribution. Through their commitment, they have helped create positive experiences, strengthen the work of the Student Union, and make a meaningful difference to students’ lives.

Open Door Award

The winner of this award created a safe and inclusive space for students, physically or digitally, supported the physical and mental wellbeing of students, and helped to tackle the increasing issue of loneliness and isolation among university students.

Community Engagement Award

The winner of this award may have managed social media that is relevant, interactive, and a positive reflection on Heriot-Watt, helped to get fellow students involved with societies, events, or extracurriculars, or otherwise contributed to measurable benefits for their community.

Innovations in Sustainability Award

The winner of this award has promoted new ideas for sustainable practices, led initiatives and activities which have produced a measurable impact on the sustainability of Heriot-Watt, and helped encourage other students and staff to be more sustainable.

Hours awards

At the volunteer awards we also celebrate the milestones volunteers have reached with the hours awards:

Bronze Award - 50 hours and 5 employability skills
Silver Award - 100 hours and 5 employability skills
Gold Award - 200 hours and 6 employability skills
Platinum Award - 300 hours and 6 employability skills
Ruby Award - 400 hours and 7 employability skills
Diamond Award - 500 hours and 7 employability skills

These are based on the hours logged at the student union website, so if you're a volunteer please make sure your hours are up to date! If you want a refresher on how to log hours check out our guide here! When you're logging your skills, make sure to log them across different categories for them to count.

On the night of the Volunteer Awards, we will only present the Ruby and Diamond awards. Whereas the bronze, silver, gold, and platinum winners will have their name displayed on the screens.

Nominations for the Annual Student Oscars are open too! You can nominate here

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