Great Teaching: Teaching Excellence Awards 2017 presented
Yesterday, the University of Basel awarded this year's Teaching Excellence Awards to honor lecturers and staff for their contribution to teaching.
23 May 2017
The committee chose six award winners out of over 800 nominations by lecturers, staff and students. During the official ceremony on May 22, 2017, the awards were handed out in five different categories:
Strong Foundations
Once again, the category “Starke Fundamente” has proven to be the most popular among students. 200 nominations were received for this category alone. The award honors lecturers, whose basic courses create a solid basis for the students’ further studies. With Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Bircher, this year's award went to a lecturer from the Faculty of Medicine for the first time since 2007. With his clearly structured lectures and learning materials, he helps students to prepare for the requirements of the clinical practice as doctors. By using original teaching formats such as Science Slams, he introduces his students to the basics of Allergology and Anatomy in a fun and memorable way.
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Strong Foundations: award winner Prof. Andreas Bircher with committee members (from left: Giuliano Borter, Daria Liach, Martin Schweighoffer, Rebecca Achermann, Selina Ehrenzeller), President Prof. Andrea Schenker-Wicki and Vice President Prof. Maarten Hoenen. (Image: University of Basel, Peter Schnetz)link.zoom -
Modern Scholarship: award winner Prof. Caroline Arni with committee members Dr. Reto Müller, Dr. Martin Steinhause, Dr. Felix Wörner, President Prof. Andrea Schenker-Wicki and Vice President Prof. Maarten Hoenen. (Image: University of Basel, Peter Schnetz)link.zoom -
State-of-the-art: award winner Prof. Frithjof Benjamin Schenk with committee members Prof. Ueli Mäder, Dr. Stefanie Hof-Seiler, Natalya Izergina, President Prof. Andrea Schenker-Wicki and Vice President Prof. Maarten Hoenen. (Image: University of Basel, Peter Schnetz)link.zoom -
Breaking New Ground: award winner Judith Tonner with committee members Andreas Baumgartner, Jacqueline Riedi, Anja Roth, Fabian Thomi, President Prof. Andrea Schenker-Wicki and Vice President Prof. Maarten Hoenen. (Image: University of Basel, Peter Schnetz)link.zoom -
Service to Teaching: Awardees Elisabeth Maeder and Philippe Chresta with committee member Prof. Felix Hafner, President Prof. Andrea Schenker-Wicki and Vice President Prof. Maarten Hoenen. (Image: University of Basel, Peter Schnetz)link.zoom
Modern Scholarship
The award for Modern Scholarship went to Prof. Dr. Caroline Arni for her extraordinary teaching performance in the History Department. She is able to position her field in the broader context of society and inspires her students to employ methodical and theoretical reflection. Arni convinced the committee that she does not only transfer knowledge, but that she lets students actively participate in theoretical, interdisciplinary and historiographical argumentation. The prize money for this category comes from the Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching, which has been awarded at different Swiss higher education institutions since 2006.
State-of-the-art
This year, the Department of History can take home another Teaching Excellence Awards with Prof. Frithjof Benjamin Schenk as the winner of the category "Top aktuell". This award honors lecturers that enable their students to come into contact with state-of-the-art research. Schenk succeeded especially in doing so with his lecture series on the 100 anniversary of the Russian Revolution, which he held together with other researchers and the Swiss National Museum. The lecture brought together different research perspectives. As a Lecturer in Eastern European History, Schenk invites his students to always critically question events and circumstances
Breaking New Ground
The category “Beschreiten neuer Wege” honors lecturers who facilitate studies at societal and interdisciplinary interfaces. This year's winner Judith Tonner convinced her students and the committee especially with her seminar "Psychology im Dienste der Nachhaltigkeit." The seminar offered participants an extended academic focus and brought together students from different disciplines. Through the collaboration with different partners and institutions, the students had the opportunity to leave their common university framework and gain insight into possible job fields outside of the University.
Service to Teaching
The award for “Dienst an der Lehre” honors those whose coordinated or technical support guarantees a smooth and enjoyable teaching and learning environment. The awardees Elisabeth Maeder and Philippe Chresta are representative of both areas. Elisabeth Maeder, a research assistant in the student administration and the library, has been holding together the strings at the Slavistics Department for decades. With her competent and likable personality, she has shaped the character of the Department. Philippe Chresta from the Faculty of Psychology's IT department has convinced both staff and students that his work – from putting together online surveys to leading the Neuroscience Userlab – is indispensable for the entire Faculty.
Further Information
The complete shortlist as well as more information on the committee, impressions of the ceremony and an overview of last year's awardees can be found here: www.unibas.ch/tea
