BRILLIANT Awards 2025

**Deadline extended - Entries close on Tuesday 30th September 2025**

Celebrating BRILLIANT Education

The BRILLIANT Awards shine a light on schools, colleges, and universities that are leading the way in STEAM education and Industry engagement. If you're equipping young people with the skills they need to thrive in an ever-changing world — we want to celebrate your work.

BRILLIANT invites you to join its mission to empower educators, transform education, and equip students with the skills and mindset needed for a brilliant future. Together, we can revolutionise teaching and learning, nurturing a generation of innovative thinkers and problem solvers.

Who Can Enter?

You’re eligible to enter if:

  • You are a school, college, or university based in the UK.

  • Your project, initiative, or work aligns with BRILLIANT’s mission: to inspire, innovate, and connect education with industry, technology, creativity, and future-ready skills.

Entries are welcome from individual educators, leadership teams, departments, or cross-institution collaborations. There are no restrictions on size or location — if you’re doing something BRILLIANT, we want to hear about it.

Entry Criteria

  • Entries must relate to work carried out between January 2024 and July 2025.

  • You can submit the same project to multiple categories if relevant — it’s easy to duplicate submissions.

  • Judging is fair, transparent, and led by an expert panel from education, tech, and industry. Entries will be reviewed independently with optional supporting material considered.

Key Dates

  • Final Entry Deadline: 30 September 2025

  • Shortlist Announced: 14 October 2025

  • Awards Ceremony: 11 November 2025, BRILLIANT Festival Keynote Theatre, Exhibition Centre Liverpool

🕓 Entries close on 30 September 2025

If you're unsure whether your work qualifies, contact us at martyncollins@brilliantfestival.com — we're happy to advise.

1. Innovators in Science Award - sponsored by

Recognising projects that drive scientific exploration, foster curiosity and encourage real-world impact in science education.

Examples of evidence:

  • Innovative science projects or research conducted by students.

  • Participation in national or international science competitions.

  • Evidence of hands-on experiments, fieldwork, or industry collaborations.

  • Testimonials from students, teachers, or external partners on the impact of science initiatives.

Judging criteria:

  • Creativity and originality in science projects and teaching methods.

  • Impact on student engagement, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

  • Collaboration with external organisations, universities, or industry.

  • Demonstration of real-world applications of scientific learning.

2. Tech Excellence Award  - sponsored by

Celebrating initiatives that embrace cutting-edge technology, equipping students with the digital skills needed for the future.

Examples of evidence:

  • Integration of coding, AI, robotics, or emerging technologies into the curriculum.

  • Case studies of student-led digital innovation or app development.

  • Engagement with tech industry partners or participation in national tech challenges.

  • Use of VR, AR or other advanced technologies to enhance learning.

Judging criteria:

  • Innovative use of technology in teaching and learning.

  • Demonstrated impact on students’ digital literacy and problem-solving abilities.

  • Evidence of industry links, mentorship, or real-world applications.

  • Scalability and sustainability of tech initiatives in the school.

3. Engineering Changemakers Award  - sponsored by

Honouring programmes that inspire design thinking, problem-solving and hands-on engineering innovation.

Examples of evidence:

  • Student-led engineering projects or prototypes solving real-world challenges.

  • Collaboration with engineers or STEM organisations to enhance learning.

  • Participation in engineering competitions such as F1 in Schools or VEX Robotics.

  • Showcasing sustainable or community-focused engineering initiatives.

Judging criteria:

  • Innovation and creativity in engineering-based projects.

  • Practical application of engineering principles and design thinking.

  • Industry partnerships and real-world engagement.

  • Student impact and opportunities for skills development.

4. Creative Visionaries in Art & Design Award - sponsored by

Recognising activities that champion creativity, artistic expression and  design thinking.

Examples of evidence:

  • Student artwork or design projects exhibited at galleries or competitions.

  • Integration of digital design, animation, or fashion into the curriculum.

  • Cross-disciplinary projects combining art with technology or science.

  • Collaboration with artists, designers, or creative industry professionals.

Judging criteria:

  • Originality and creativity in artistic or design projects.

  • Engagement with the wider creative community or industry.

  • Impact on student confidence and creative thinking.

  • Use of innovative techniques or cross-disciplinary approaches.

5. Maths Mastery Award - sponsored by  

Celebrating projects that excel in mathematics education, inspiring students through innovative and applied learning.

Examples of evidence:

  • Innovative teaching approaches that improve student engagement and performance in maths.

  • Participation in national maths challenges, Olympiads, or problem-solving competitions.

  • Case studies of students applying maths in real-world scenarios (e.g., finance, coding, engineering).

  • Partnerships with universities or industry to enhance maths learning.

Judging criteria:

  • Innovation in teaching methods and student engagement.

  • Demonstrated improvement in mathematical understanding and application.

  • Evidence of real-world connections and interdisciplinary approaches.

  • Participation and achievement in external maths challenges.

6. Outstanding Industry Engagement Award - sponsored by

Honouring partnerships that build strong links with businesses and industry, preparing students for the world of work.

Examples of evidence:

  • Successful collaborations with businesses, apprenticeships, or work experience programmes.

  • Industry-led workshops, mentoring schemes, or employer engagement initiatives.

  • Student projects co-developed with industry partners.

  • Feedback from students and industry professionals on the impact of engagement.

Judging criteria:

  • Depth and quality of industry partnerships.

  • Impact on student career awareness, skills and  opportunities.

  • Innovation in work-related learning experiences.

  • Sustainability and long-term benefits of industry links.

The 6 Award Categories

BRILLIANT Awards Judges 2025

  • Nicola Allen

    Managing Director, Educake

  • Joe Arday

    Computer Science Teacher, Brentwood County High School

  • Dr Pete Atherton

    Senior Lecturer: Teacher Education, Liverpool John Moores University

  • Lewis Body-Douglas

    Programme Lead for Games Development, Design and Art, College of Esports

  • Sarah Carroll

    Head of Enterprise and Personal Development, Aldridge Education

  • Dr Jon Chippindall

    CEO & Co-Founder, Teachmate

  • Paul Davies

    Chief Operating Officer, Yozu

  • Victoria Hedlund

    Founder, GenEd Labs.ai

  • Olivia D Hinds

    Director, Onevma Limited

  • Nina Hinton

    Director of Business and Development, Open Awards

  • Candace James

    Researcher, University of Salford

  • Hayley Laidlaw-Wilson

    Founder, Sniff and Snails

  • Euan MacLean

    Founder & CEO, &Parents CIC

  • Athar Mahmood

    Assessment and Assurance Manager, Skills England

  • Jun Miyatake

    Senior Scientist, Concept Life Sciences

  • Kirsty Nunn

    Head of Computer Science, Millfield School

  • Alan O' Donohoe

    Specialist Leader in Education, Exa Networks Ltd

  • Wendy Peskett

    Teaching and Learning Coordinator, Kami

  • Becci Peters

    Secondary/Tertiary Lead, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

  • Kylie Reid

    Managing Director, hi-impact

  • Michelle Russell

    Director, Siderfcons

  • Dr Ajay Sharman

    National Lead, STEM Learning Ltd

  • Jennifer Talbot

    Learning and Development Manager, Jam Coding

  • Mirko Viviano

    Electrical Payload Systems Engineer, Airbus Defence and Space UK

Sponsorship Opportunities

Want to align your brand with innovation and excellence in education?

We’re actively seeking partners who share our values.

To learn more about sponsorship email martyncollins@brilliantfestival.com


Become a Judge

Our panel of judges is made up of experts from education, technology, and industry.

If you'd like to be considered for a future BRILLIANT Awards panel, please get in touch with martyncollins@brilliantfestival.com


Let’s celebrate the young pioneers, problem-solvers, innovators and changemakers who will change our world for the better.