HMC Fellows scoop Vice-Chancellor's Awards

A group of people on the stage pose for a photograph, with one of them holding an award

The interdisciplinary team that won the Award for Teaching and Learning, with HMC Fellows Dr Gina Hadley and Prof Josh Hordern

John Cairns Photography

Harris Manchester College Fellows were among the winners of the 2025 Vice-Chancellor's Awards, which were announced in a special ceremony at the Sheldonian Theatre on 15 May.

John Henry Felix Fellow and Associated Tutor in Medicine Dr Gina Hadley, Official Fellow Professor Josh Hordern, and Official Fellow and Tutor in Clinical Medicine Professor Bee Wee were recognised for their roles in an interdisciplinary training session for medical students that draws on expertise from the University’s Ashmolean Museum and the Humanities Division.

Entitled “Diversity in Death and Dying”, the project won the Award for Teaching and Learning for its original use of cultural objects and images to prepare medical students for end-of-life care, incorporating insights from a number of disciplines including neuroscience (Dr Hadley), theology (Professor Hordern) and palliative care (Professor Wee).

And it was a double victory for Dr Hadley and Professor Hordern: they are also part of MedHum, an interdisciplinary research hub based at The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities, which received the Award for Research Culture. MedHum was recognised for its work in supporting Humanities and social-science based research on health and medicine, and promoting public awareness of the contribution that the Humanities make to understanding health, disease and medicine.

Supernumerary Fellow Dr Debbie Aitken was a finalist in the Support for Students Award, rounding off the strong showing from HMC in this year’s awards.