Award for outstanding contribution to education
Congratulations to Dr JC Penet who has received the Vice-Chancellor’s Education Excellence Award for the second time!
23 July 2025
Dr Penet received his award for his innovative and sustained contributions to the field of Modern Languages, in particular within our School's Translation and Interpreting Section.
In recent years, Dr Penet has built a profile as an influential scholar and practitioner in Translator Education that has benefited Newcastle University students and colleagues, but also more widely through Dr Penet's engagement with coaching and mentoring practices.
The awarding panel were impressed with how the winnings from Dr Penet's previous Vice Chancellor's award was used to reinvest in training that has led to the development of the Center for Translating and Interpreting.
JC said:
"I'm truly honoured to receive the Vice-Chancellor's Education Excellence Award for a second time. This recognition means a great deal to me, as it reflects my unwavering commitment to co-creating, with our fantastic students and brilliant professional services colleagues (Careers, LTDS), experiential learning opportunities that make education more authentic and situated by connecting students with real-world industry practice.
It's a privilege to support students in developing the critical, analytical and reflective skills they'll need to thrive in their future working lives. I've also found it incredibly rewarding to see how my research into emotional intelligence in translator training has contributed to their growth and wellbeing.
Too often, education begins from a place of deficit. It doesn't have to - and I'd like to believe that my work, both as an educator and a life coach, is helping to challenge this. Change and innovation are never easy, but what a joy it is to help shape empowering learning experience that allow students to rediscover just how creative and resourceful they truly are."
About the awards
The Vice-Chancellor’s (VC) Awards aim to raise the status of education at Newcastle University by rewarding individuals and teams who have made a marked impact on the student educational experience.
Either individuals or teams who offer an exceptional contribution to education at Newcastle University can enter.
This year, there were three Faculty awards in this year's Vice-Chancellor's Education Excellence Awards 2025. For details of all 2025 winners and how to make future applications, please see the Vice- Chancellor’s Education Excellence Award webpage.