Saxon Teaching Prize 2018 goes to professor at the HSZG

Minister of Science Dr. Eva-Maria Stange presented the 2018 Saxon Teaching Award in the category of universities of applied sciences — Universities of Applied Sciences — to Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Hans-Joachim Kretzschmar of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.

This award recognized his consistent, continuously refined digital teaching and learning concept, which fosters interest in research questions among our students from the very beginning, as well as his engaging, interactive lectures. The internet-based learning system Thermopr@ctice, which he initiated, along with other e-learning elements, is already being used at several universities as well as in corporate continuing education programs and is being further developed through collaborative efforts. In addition to his teaching style, the jury praised his digital learning and practice methods, which exemplify how active learning can be stimulated in heterogeneous study groups—resulting in above-average exam scores in subject modules often considered challenging.

The Vice President for Education and International Affairs expressed her great delight that Prof. Kretzschmar was honored with the 2018 Saxon Teaching Award. “He is one of the pioneers in the use of ‘e-learning’ in the Free State of Saxony. He exemplifies the potential that a consistent digitization of teaching brings, while simultaneously linking the academic fields of teaching and research. By developing a digital teaching and learning concept using the Saxon learning platform OPAL, this didactically innovative approach has enabled a completely new level of quality to be achieved in the field of thermodynamics. As a result, the field of technical thermodynamics has succeeded in setting the highest quality standards as a core component of energy engineering and, beyond that, in other degree programmes. The awarding of the 2018 Saxon Teaching Prize to Prof. Kretzschmar rightly recognizes his achievements.”

For Prof. Kretzschmar, however, this award also represents his Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, which supported him in the development and implementation of e-learning at the university.

Minister of Science Dr. Eva-Maria Stange: “Compared to research achievements, good teaching at our universities and the University of Cooperative Education often still receives too little recognition. With the Saxon Teaching Award, we want to honor outstanding instructors who convey course material using new, innovative ideas and concepts or who make a special effort to ensure the good organization of their programs. I warmly congratulate all those selected for the 2018 Saxon Teaching Award, whose work serves as a model for excellent teaching at our universities and vocational academies.”

The award is presented every two years to faculty members at Saxony’s universities, art colleges, universities of applied sciences, and the University of Cooperative Education. A total of four individual prizes are awarded, each worth 10,000 euros. The winners were selected by a nine-member jury appointed by the SMWK.