Cardiff academic honoured for transforming nurse education

A Cardiff academic recognised for transforming nurse education has received one of higher education’s most prestigious teaching honours.

Diana De, a Reader in Healthcare Sciences at Cardiff University has been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by Advance HE.

The Fellowship celebrates and recognises individuals who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession in higher education.

They are widely recognised in higher education within the UK and internationally as a mark of quality and excellence in teaching and learning support.

During her career, Diana’s teaching and scholarship has been founded on promoting cultural safety, including challenging entrenched issues such as monotone, unisex training manikins and calling out how medical textbooks tend to limit the portrayal of disease imagery by not always reflecting the skin tones of diverse populations.

In addressing these systematic biases, Diana has brought her teaching to life in novel and engaging ways – with immersive drama-based role-play, props, costume, sounds and smells to simulate professional curiosity.

Feedback from students has emphasised the transformative impact of her work, with students reporting feeling ‘seen’ and belonging in a culturally safe and empowered to share their personal experiences to foster compassion in their peers.

A pioneering figure in healthcare, Diana has addressed contentious subjects and has helped shape policy and professional guidance around honour-based violence.

She has developed internationally used gamification resources around anaemias and ignited STEM interest in local school children, inspired healthcare students, as well as new and experienced lecturers through role modelling, mentorship and coaching.

Her awards, include the Cardiff University Excellence in Civic Mission Award in 2024, being a finalist for Ethic Minority Welsh Women in Healthcare STEM Teaching Award, a Royal College of Nursing Wales Nurse Educator runner-up 2023, and an invitation to the King’s Garden Party in 2025 for service to education and decolonising programmes.

Diana said: “These Fellowships are a highly competitive process. Claims can be difficult to articulate within the tight word limits set by the Advance HE, so I am absolutely thrilled to receive a favourable outcome on my first attempt.”

Professor Amanda Tonks, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education and Student Experience at Cardiff, added: “Diana is a leading light in healthcare education whose focus on inclusion, cultural safety and authentic learning has led to a multitude of prizes and awards.

“Through her work, she has fought for greater representation in STEM and introduced new resources and novel ways of inclusive learning activities for the benefit of all students and, by extension, patient care.”

“Diana has informed educational and clinical practices nationwide and globally through her work on modern slavery and the treatment of blood disorders and has inspired many others as a colleague, mentor and ally. We are delighted that she has been recognised with this national award.”