A nice pen is an appropriate gift because it symbolizes the recording of ideas, notes and plans. It is also a useful writing instrument for educators who typically do a lot of writing. It has the added benefit of being a constant reminder to him that you care about him and are proud of his accomplishments. To make the gift more special, have it engraved with the person's initials or perhaps with something appropriate for the occasion. A specific engraving for a literary professor could be a short quote by his favorite author; a mathematician might appreciate a favorite formula engraved in the pen.
A book can be a perfect gift for someone who receives an educational award because its subject can be the same as the educator's focus. A book about the latest excavated discoveries would be perfect for a professor of archaeology and one about famous theories might intrigue a mathematician or physicist. Finding the right book is simply a matter of realizing his professional interests.
The educated world's administrators and teachers are a fairly intellectual crowd. Challenges are everyday occurrences, but some challenges can be designed to be fun, too. Puzzles fit into this category. A puzzle makes a good gift for the occasion because it can symbolize new challenges for the recipient. Finding a puzzle to fit the award is simply a matter of subject interest. A professor of Far Eastern history, for example, might appreciate the reproduction of a puzzle developed by the ancient Chinese such as their oldest puzzle -- the tangram -- which uses multiple shapes to make a final shape.
Journals are a good place to jot down ideas and capture them forever. By giving a nice journal to educated achievers, they'll have something they can use, store and reuse. Whether they are developing new ideas, writing down mathematical formulas or just recording memories of their academic experiences, a journal serves as a practical gift.
To mark the occasion and the person's accomplishment, a journal can be inscribed with a personal note of recognition. In order to make the gift of a journal even more significant, give one with its binding designed ina way that is relevant to their subject focus as well. The cover could contain mathematical formulas, ancient maps, or political quotations depending on whether their subject focus is mathematics, history, or political science.