Excellent teaching! Students at TU Braunschweig have voted for the best lecturers

On 27 October, lecturers at Technical University of Braunschweig were honoured in five categories for their exceptional dedication. The award-winning courses were attended by students in the past winter and semesters, with attendees impressed by the quality and inspiration they offered. What makes this award special is that students have exclusive rights to nominate and select the winners.

All the winners, who took first, second and third place, gathered for a group photo with TU President Prof. Dr. Angela Ittel and Vice President for Studies and Teaching Prof. Dr. Knut Baumann. Photo credit: Silja Klemenz/TU Braunschweig

The TU Teaching Award recognises outstanding teaching by lecturers and students at Technical University of Braunschweig. It thus underlines the value of teaching at this university.

“Good teaching inspires. Good teaching connects. Good teaching allows questions – and even encourages them. Everyone who conducts research today started out in exactly the same way: through lectures, seminars, and supervised theses. Teaching is the gateway to disciplines,” summarised TU President Professor Angela Ittel.

This year, a total of 136 courses and 177 teachers were nominated. This highlights the significant appreciation that students have for their teachers and teaching at TU Braunschweig.

“At TU Braunschweig, we asked students to tell us which courses they consider to be outstanding and inspiring. Unlike research, teaching takes place behind closed doors. Exchange about teaching among colleagues is limited. You need insiders! Everything from nomination to screening to selection was student-led,” said TU Vice-President for Teaching and Studies Professor Knut Baumann, explaining the TU Teaching Award process.

The President of TU Braunschweig, Prof. Dr. Angela Ittel, was delighted to congratulate the award winners: Jan Hölzer, Till Hagemann, Marvin Sachs, Prof. Dr. Tim Fingscheidt, Yihui Fu, Prof. Dr. Christof Backhaus, Prof. Dr. Thorsten Schoorman and Prof. Dr. Frederik Möller, as well as the Vice President for Studies and Teaching, Prof. Dr. Knut Baumann. Photo credit: Silja Klemenz/TU Braunschweig

The award winners at a glance

Best undergraduate teaching

The award for best undergraduate teaching went to Professor Christof Backhaus from the Institute for Marketing and Innovation for his lecture “Introduction to Marketing”. Students praised Prof. Backhaus for his ability to create an open and personal atmosphere despite the large audience. Particular mention was made of the interactive teaching, the enthusiasm and the practical relevance of guest lectures and excursions. “This lecture should be nominated because someone with genuine motivation and commitment is providing excellent teaching, and because it shows that even large introductory courses can offer more than just teaching material,” said the students in their nomination statement.

Best lecture

The award for best lecture went to “Pattern Recognition” by Professor Tim Fingscheidt, Marvin Sach, Björn Möller and Yihui Fu from the Institute of Communications Engineering. Students were particularly interested in the subject matter, which was highly topical and relevant to current technological developments. They particularly emphasised the clear structure with examples and accessible explanations, as well as the positive learning atmosphere in their evaluation. “The lecture is not only informative, but also fun – it sticks in your mind and encourages you to think further,” was the students’ verdict.

Best Seminar

When it came to the “Best Seminar” category, the students opted for the Bachelor’s Seminar, “Data-Driven Enterprise”, led by Professor Frederik Möller and Professor Thorsten Schoormann from the Institute for Information Systems. They attested that the course was a particularly successful combination of theoretical input and practical application. The seminar also offered students the freedom to work on their own topics independently, while the clear framework and good supervision provided guidance. “It is an example of how good teaching can really help students progress,” the students explained.

Best Exercise / Best Laboratory

In this category, Jan Hölzer from the Institute for Philosophy impressed the students with his “Speech Workshop – Speaking in front of and to others”. The course scored points for its excellent preparation, transparency and freedom of choice, as well as a good learning atmosphere that promoted interpersonal exchange. “It was the most educational experience of my entire degree, even though it wasn’t part of the curriculum,” the nomination stated.

Best Student Teaching

The “Control Engineering” tutorial clearly linked theory and application, leading to the “Best Student Teaching” award for Till Hagemann from the Institute for Intermodal Transport and Logistics Systems. The students found the tutorial challenging yet instructive, as the material was well prepared and made tangible and comprehensible through examples and calculations. “Strong teaching with real added value” was the students’ conclusion.