Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the CorpU Excellence and Innovation Awards?

   Presented by CorpU, the awards salute corporate learning units that demonstrate excellence in leadership and creativity in improving employee and business performance. The awards program recognizes corporate learning units that best illustrate their performance in the key strategic areas of: 

   • Alignment: Furthering corporate goals through learning & development efforts
   • Alliances: Making the best use of external providers
   • Branding: Developing and implementing innovative communications and branding strategies
   • Launching: Successfully beginning a new corporate university, leadership academy, or a newly branded component of the learning organization
   • Leadership Development: Implementing successful, high-impact learning and development programs targeted to managers, high potentials, and senior executive leadership
   • Learning Technologies: Creating an effective learning environment through the use of technology
   • Measurement: Creating tools and techniques to measure the value of an organization’s investment in learning


2. Who is eligible to participate?

   Any corporate learning unit is eligible to participate in the CorpU Excellence and Innovation Awards. Both U.S. and international organizations are encouraged to submit entries. Organizations from any industry - such as manufacturing, financial services, transportation, communications, utilities, retail, professional services, healthcare, and government- are invited to submit entries.

3. If our learning organization does not regard itself as a "corporate university," are we still eligible to participate?

   Yes. The CorpU Excellence Awards honor organizations that have developed a strategic umbrella for aligning, coordinating, and focusing learning efforts for employees, customers, and suppliers to achieve the organization's business strategies and goals, regardless of what they are called.

4. Can education and training vendors and/or university partners submit an entry on behalf of a corporate learning unit?

   Yes. However, the head of the corporate learning unit must sign the entry form.

5. Is there an entry fee?

   No.

6. Do we need to describe our organization's best practices in each of the seven areas?

   No. All applicants must complete Section 1 (Background of the Corporate Learning Unit). Applicants may select one or more categories in sections 2, 3, and 4 (Business Challenge Overview, Awards Categories, and Impact of the Corporate Learning Unit and Future Plans) to describe their corporate learning units' practices in the desired areas.

7. How should entries be submitted in multiple categories?

   Each entry should be completed and submitted on the appropriate category’s application form. It is acceptable to use the same Section 1 for multiple category applications.

8. Is there an advantage to submitting in multiple categories?

   Yes. Companies that demonstrate Excellence and Innovation in multiple categories are more likely to be candidates for the award for “Best Overall Corporate University”.

9. Does length of submission matter?

   Yes. Each section of the award application has a word limit. Judges will look more closely and carefully at those organizations that stay within that limit. In addition, supplementary material, in the form of CDs or DVDs can be submitted. Note that CorpU no longer accepts supplementary material in paper form.

10. Who will judge the entries?

    The panel of judges will consist of past CorpU award winners and thought leaders and other representatives from academia, government agencies, analysts and for-profit education organizations.

11. What is the entry deadline for the 2013 Annual CorpU Excellence Awards?

    All entries should be submitted by December 11, 2012.

12. How are winners notified?

    Finalists will be notified by e-mail. The winners of the Excellence, Best Practice and Exemplary Practice Awards will be announced at the Awards Gala, scheduled for Spring 2013.

13. What exactly does an award winner get?

    Winners will receive a CorpU Excellence Awards trophy and recognition through press releases, case studies, and other outlets.

14. When will the awards ceremony take place?

    The 2013 Annual Excellence Awards Gala will be held sometime in Spring 2013. Details will be announced as soon as they are available.

15. What will be done with the information submitted in entries?

    Entries will be kept in the strictest confidence. With permission from participating organizations, CorpU may use information from entries in case studies and other publications.

16. Which organizations have won in the past?

    Previous award winners include Mars, Inc., Farmers Insurance, Boeing, JetBlue Airways, McCarthy Homes, The Schwan Food Company, UBS, Staples, MasterCard, Allied Barton, Chesterfield County, VA, Infosys, Accenture and many more.

17. Who may I contact with any further questions?

    Please contact awards@corpu.com for more information.