Authentic, responsible, and courageous: lecturers have to bring their whole personality to bear to not only pass on course content to students but to enable them to immerse themselves in a fascinating world of knowledge. Around 6,000 teachers at the Technical University of Munich face this challenge daily. Eight of them have now received special recognition with the Prize for Excellence in Teaching from the Free State of Bavaria and the Certificate of Honor for Excellence in Teaching.
Heroes of teaching
Science Minister Markus Blume aptly described the 2023 Prize for Excellence in Teaching recipients as “heroes of good teaching” at the Day of Good Teaching in Nuremberg last week. Every year, the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts awards the prize to outstanding teachers at the state’s universities. From TUM, Martin Klingenspor and Lea Köglmeier received the honor this year.
Martin Klingenspor consistently develops interactive and varied teaching concepts that promote skills acquisition beyond a subject-specific dimension. For example, in the Integrative Nutritional Science module, students work on specific topics in project groups and then present their results for discussion at a student symposium. Professor Klingenspor also plays a key role in promoting structural development and quality assurance at the TUM School of Life Sciences beyond his courses.
Lea Köglmeier’s central exercise module on the fundamentals and models of biomechanics offered at the TUM School of Engineering and Design enables students from various academic backgrounds to engage in a highly flexible, needs-oriented learning process. It combines a variety of approaches, interactive elements, and optimal availability with a clear organization and comprehensible structures. Thus, she ensures ideal conditions for the learning success of her students.
A tribute at the Teaching Symposium
Two days earlier, the two award winners were presented with the Certificate of Honor for Excellence in Teaching by Gerhard Müller, Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, at the Teaching Symposium – together with six of their colleagues who had also been nominated for the Prize for Excellence in Teaching by their schools and student councils: Peter Annighöfer, Benjamin Büttner, Sebastian Koth, David Meßmann, Mathias Wilhelm and Stefan Wurster.
They all achieve excellent course evaluation results and are tirelessly committed to their students. In his laudatory speech, Professor Müller thanked them for the authenticity with which they inspire students, the responsibility they show for the university and society, and the courage with which they constantly break new ground in teaching at TUM.