Recognizing outstanding teaching

Over the past approximately twelve months, the university administration, the Friends of the University Association, and the Student Council at Zittau/Görlitz University have worked together to develop a concept for the university’s own teaching award. The results have been incorporated into the regulations governing the teaching award, which were adopted by the Rector’s Office on March 18, 2015. These regulations provide the formal basis for announcing and awarding a prize worth 1,000 euros for exceptional teaching achievements at the university —beginning this year and continuing every two years thereafter.

Individual faculty members or groups of faculty members who demonstrate above-average commitment and outstanding achievements in teaching may be nominated for the teaching award. All faculties and the university’s central administrative units are eligible to submit nominations.

The official call for nominations for the first Teaching Award will be issued in the coming days. The evaluation of the nominations and the selection of the award recipient will be the responsibility of a selection committee chaired by the Vice President for Education and International Affairs, Prof. Dr. Christa Maria Heidger, based on defined criteria. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place during the formal enrolment ceremony on October 1, 2015.

The prize money is provided by the Friends of Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences e.V. In addition, the association awards approximately a dozen merit prizes annually to dedicated students and supports the university in various initiatives.

The Teaching Award itself helps ensure that teaching activities within the university are consistently given the recognition they deserve. It is intended to encourage faculty members to continuously improve their teaching units and thus serves as an important tool in the quality management of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.

Text: Peggy Sommer