Dr Alice Finden and Dr Kavi Abraham, both from our School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA), have won the British International Studies Association (BISA) Early Career Excellence in Teaching International Studies Prize.
The award recognises outstanding contributions to teaching from early career academics in the field of International Studies.
This prestigious prize was awarded for their work on a SGIA undergraduate module, Sovereignty, State and Empire, where they introduced visits to the Sudan Archives at Palace Green Library as part of the course.
These visits helped students engage with the colonial past in a direct and powerful way examining real historical documents, photographs, and artefacts.
With support from our library team, especially archivist Francis Gotto, these visits became a key part of students’ learning and assessment.
The hands-on experience helped students better understand the colonial roots of global politics, sparking deeper reflection and critical thinking.
Building on this success, Alice and Kavi led an interdisciplinary workshop funded by our Institute of Advanced Study.
The event brought together academics and students from across the UK to explore how archives can support decolonial teaching.
Students who took part shared how meaningful the experience was and how much more engaging it felt than traditional classroom learning.
The project has also inspired further collaborations and a future academic paper exploring how archives can reshape learning.
Alice and Kavi’s achievement reflects Durham’s broader commitment to innovative, inclusive, and impactful education.
The judging panel praised Alice and Kavi’s thoughtful and rigorous approach, especially their commitment to decolonising the curriculum.
Their work was seen as a standout example of how teaching can be transformed through innovative methods.
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