RCVS highlights collaboration as 2026 awards nominations open

The nomination period for our 2026 Honours and Awards was launched with the introduction of a new Collaboration Award. This award reflects the “Stronger Together” theme of our new Strategic Plan, which recognises the power of collaboration as a core value in achieving the best possible outcomes.

The RCVS Honours and Awards programme recognises veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and lay-people, both in the UK and overseas, who are carrying out exemplary work across the breadth of veterinary endeavour. The Collaboration Award joins a number of existing awards covering areas such as compassion, international work and inspiration.

Speaking about the Collaboration Award, RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett (pictured) said: “The new strategy recognises how the RCVS, as a royal college that regulates, is in a key position to bring people together to collaborate in support of a common purpose, and how such collaborations can bring about positive change.

“The new Collaboration Award is all about recognising best practice in collaboration - whether that’s bringing together veterinary professionals working in different organisations or disparate fields, or veterinary professionals working with human medics, scientists, lawyers, or law enforcement, to improve the health of people, animals and the environment.

“I am excited to hear more about the collaborative projects that are out there and the impact they are having in society, so if you know or are part of such a project, please do consider a nomination for the Collaboration Award.”

In addition to the Collaboration Award, nominations can also be made this year for the following RCVS awards:

• The Queen’s Medal - an award for a veterinary surgeon who has achieved a highly distinguished career with sustained and outstanding achievements throughout.
• The Veterinary Nursing Golden Jubilee Award - awarded to a veterinary nurse who has had a sustained and distinguished career, who can demonstrate a leadership role within the profession and who can act as an ambassador for the value of veterinary nurses and their work.
• The RCVS International Award - awarded to veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses or laypeople, ie those who are neither MsRCVS nor RVNs, who have made an outstanding contribution on issues that are in-line with the RCVS mission. Self-nominations are allowed for this award.*
• The RCVS Impact Award - awarded to veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses, or a team led by a vet or RVN, who have recently made a considerable impact in terms of clinical or research work, which has led to a profound change in the professions at large, animal health or welfare, One Health, or public health. This could include practice-based research, providing it has received appropriate ethical approval. Self-nominations are allowed for this award.*
• The RCVS Inspiration Award - awarded to veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses who have demonstrated the ability to inspire and enthuse others consistently throughout their careers. Self-nominations are allowed for this award.*
• RCVS Honorary Associateship - awarded to laypeople who have made a special contribution to the veterinary sphere. This could include scientists, lecturers, journalists, charity workers, farriers, farmers and those involved in the commercial field. Please note that those who appear within any category of the RCVS Register, whether that be temporary, practising, or non-practising, cannot be nominated for this award.
• The RCVS Compassion Award - awarded to a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse at any stage of their career who has demonstrated compassion towards fellow professionals and/or members of the animal-owning public. Self-nominations are allowed for this award.*
• The RCVS Student Community Award – awarded to a veterinary or veterinary nursing student who has made a significant effort to support their fellow students and the wider veterinary/veterinary nursing school community. Self-nominations are allowed for this award.*

The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2026 RCVS Awards has now passed. All valid nominations are currently under consideration, and the RCVS Nominations Committee will produce a shortlist for approval by RCVS Council at its March 2026 meeting. The shortlist for the VN Golden Jubilee Award will be considered separately by VN Council.

Please note that, following a change to the nomination rules, only one recipient will be selected for each award next year, with the exception of the Honorary Associateship, for which up to three awards may still be made.

To view the nomination guidance and download PDF nomination forms for each award, please visit the Honours and Awards page.

Please look out for further communications about the 2027 awards.

*If you plan to self-nominate, you will need to complete the nomination form in the third person, using your name and preferred pronouns instead of “I”, to help avoid unintended bias in the judging process.