This year’s awards honoured lecturers who stood out in the categories ‘Research-oriented teaching’, ‘Application-based teaching’ and ‘Motivating students to work independently’. In an online survey, students had nominated 215 lecturers. The 56 candidates who received at least three votes were then shortlisted.
The jury consisted of students from all five faculties as well as the Student Pro-Rector, the Pro-Rector for Studies, Teaching, Teacher Training and Internationalisation, and one representative each from the Students’ Union (AStA) and the Advisory Board for University Didactics & Digital Teaching. They ultimately chose the following awardees:
Prof. Dr. Carola Schulzke (Institute of Biochemistry) was presented with the teaching prize in the category ‘Research-oriented teaching’. The teaching prize for ‘Application-based teaching’ went to Dr. Janine Wirkner (Institute of Psychology). PD Dr. Klaus Wolfgang Kesselheim (Department of German Philology) received the prize for ‘Motivating students to work independently’. One more teaching prize was dedicated to Dr. Tobias Scharnweber ‘in memoriam’. Dr. Scharnweber taught at the Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology until November 2023. No prize money was given for this award.
Prof. Dr. Carola Schulzke received the teaching prize in the category Research-oriented teaching. At the Institute of Biochemistry, she leads the research group Bioorganic Chemistry. The students praise her enthusiasm for research, which she passes on to those whom she teaches, as well as her ability to integrate contents of her own research into the lectures. With her respectful manner, she encourages students to ask questions and critically question contents.
The prize in the category Application-based teaching was awarded to Dr. Janine Wirkner. She is a teaching and research assistant at the Institute of Psychology’s Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. Her students specifically valued the practical and realistic case studies she presents in her seminars as well as the insights into professional practice as a psychotherapist. They praised the practical exercises in which students take on the roles of therapists and patients.
PD Dr. Klaus Wolfgang Kesselheim was awarded the teaching prize for Motivating students to work independently. He works at the Department of German Philology. The students praise his everlasting commitment and his motivation, which he passes on to his students. He manages to communicate seemingly dry topics in an understandable and lively way and thus inspire students to work independently.
A teaching prize in memoriam was presented in honour of Dr. Tobias Scharnweber, who passed away at the end of 2023. His prize encompasses all three categories of teaching excellence. His students praised the contagious enthusiasm and motivation he showed for his subject. They picked out his practice-oriented teaching and ability to bring classes to life. He met his students at eye level and thus enabled an open dialogue.
Further information
Prizes for Teaching Excellence
Contact at the University of Greifswald
University Communications
Domstraße 11, Entrance 1, 17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 3834 420 1150
pressestelleuni-greifswaldde
Photos are available on request from pressestelleuni-greifswaldde and can be used for free for editorial purposes in combination with this media release. In the event of publication, the name of the photographer must be mentioned.