“Good teaching practice today faces many challenges: teaching should inspire, motivate, be close to practice and research orientated, take the different education backgrounds of the students into account, but at the same time force students to take responsibility” (Stifterverband: Charta Guter Lehre. www.stifterverband.de).

The University of Greifswald annually awards three prizes for teaching excellence based on recommendations put forward by its students. Each of the teaching prizes is worth € 2,000, which is then put towards improving teaching.

This year, the University of Greifswald will award three prizes for teaching excellence based on the students nominations in the following categories

• Research-oriented teaching,
• Application-based teaching and
• Motivating students to work independently.

Students are able to nominate their favourites in a poll from 22 January to 4 February 2024. The link to take part in the poll is sent to the students' university email accounts. The jury, consisting of students from all five faculties, the Student Pro-Rector, the Pro-Rector for Studies, Teaching, Teacher Training and Internationalisation, as well as one representative each from the Student’s Union (AStA) and the Advisory Board for University Didactics and Digital Education, then selects the three prize winners from the nominees. The prizes will be awarded by the Rectorate in a ceremony at the dies academicus on 29 May 2024.

In an online survey held in January and February 2023, students nominated more than 200 individuals for a teaching prize. 51 members of teaching staff received three or more votes.

As voted by the jury, Dr. Susanne Sievers (Institute of Microbiology) received the teaching prize in the category 'Research-oriented teaching'. Vladimir Arifulin (Department of Slavonic Studies) was awarded the teaching prize in the category 'Application-based teaching'. The award in the category 'Diversity sensitive teaching' was presented to Prof. Dr. Stefan Engeli (Institute of Pharmacology).

In the online survey held in June 2022, students nominated more than 200 individuals for a teaching prize. 50 members of teaching staff received three or more votes and were added to the shortlist. As voted by the jury, Prof. Dr. Gabriele Uhl (Zoological Institute and Museum) received the teaching prize in the category ‘Research-Oriented Teaching’. Dr. Andreas Söhnel (Outpatient Clinic for Dental Prosthetics) was awarded the teaching prize in the category ‘Motivating Students to Work Independently’. The teaching prize in the category ‘Excellent Supervision of Students’ was shared by Orla Donnelly (Department of British and North American Studies) and Prof. Dr. Stefan Harrendorf (Chair of Criminology, Criminal Law, Law of Criminal Procedure and Comparative Criminal Law).

In order to honour the special services provided and extra efforts made by the subject advisors, the Rectorate also awarded a special prize for excellent subject advice. This prize was awarded to Prof. Dr. Mareike Fischer, who was particularly supportive to students on the B.Sc. and M.Sc. Biomathematics degree courses.

During an online survey in June 2021, students nominated more than 200 individuals for a teaching prize. As voted by the jury, Prof. Dr. Christfried Böttrich (Faculty of Theology) was awarded the teaching prize in the category ‘Motivating Students to Work Independently’. Dr. Bärbel Miehe (Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology) was awarded a teaching prize in the category "Interactive Design of Digital Education". Dr. Ulrike Hanke (Institute of Pharmacy) was rewarded for her ‘Excellent Supervision of Students’.

In this year’s online survey, held in June, students nominated almost 200 people for a teaching prize. 55 members of teaching staff received three or more votes and were added to the shortlist. As voted by the jury, Prof. Dr. Joachim Lege, Chair of Public Law, Constitutional History, Philosophy of Law and Theory of State, was awarded the teaching prize in the category ‘Motivating Students to Work Independently’. Prof. Dr. Mladen V. Tzvetkov from the Institute of Pharmacology received the teaching prize in the category ‘Reflected Teaching’. The award for ‘Excellent Supervision of Students’ was presented to apl. Prof. Dr. Heiko Hüneke(Institute of Geography and Geology). 

In view of the special challenges faced by teaching during the coronavirus pandemic in summer semester 2020, the Rectorate awarded a special prize for dedication to digital teaching. The award goes to Dr. Margitta Kuty and Dr. Jana Kiesendahl, who made special contributions to digital education at the university. The prize money amounting to 2,000 euros will be shared between the two prizewinners.

The University of Greifswald’s teaching prizes give students the opportunity to recognise a professor's gripping lecture or to thank their favourite lecturer for their commitment to teaching. The 2019 awards, each worth 2,000 euros, were presented to Prof. Dr Cordelia Heß (Department of History), Prof. Dr Roland Rosenstock (Faculty of Theology) and Prof. Martin Wilmking, Ph.D. (Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology)!

Once again, numerous students have nominated their favourite candidates for the 2018 teaching prize. This resulted in the nomination of 185 different lecturers. This year, as an exception, the jury was allowed to choose four prize winners.

During the period from 27 June to 11 July 2017, numerous students once again participated in the nomination of the best lecturers.  Prof. Dr. Michael Herbst excelled in the category "Integrated Teaching" (convincing overall package of lecture, seminar, exercise/tutorial/practical/excursion/etc.) . Prof. Dr. Dr. Martin Gorke, Professor of Environmental Ethics won the award in the category ‘Innovative Interdisciplinary Teaching’. Dorthe G.A. Hartmann, Department of Law, was able to convince in the category "Outstanding English-language teaching".

After extensive discussion at its meeting on 25 July 2018, the jury unanimously selected the three winners, one after the other, from the 202 nominees for teaching excellence from 2016.

575 students decided on their nominees. The winners of the Teaching Prize 2015 were honoured on 12 October 2015. Prof. Dr. Britta Bockholt, Prof. Dr. Mareike Fischer and Dr. Daniel Hunold can be proud!

655 student cast their votes in the online survey. The winners of the Teaching Prize 2014 were honoured on 13 October 2014 as part of the Opening Ceremony.

The winners of the Teaching Prize 2013 were honoured on 14 October 2013 as part of the Opening Ceremony. The jury had a truly difficult time choosing only three winners from 120 well-deserved nominations . Far more than just three lecturers deserved a prize!