"Outstanding teaching is one of the centrepieces of our university. It guarantees the high level of education of our students and thus also provides the impetus for excellent research," explained Prof. Dr Gunilla Budde, Vice President for Studies and Teaching, on the occasion of today's awarding of the "Teaching Prize" to five academics for the 2009/10 academic year. "This prize, which recognises the outstanding commitment of teaching staff at the university, is also an incentive to offer imaginative and creative teaching," said Budde.
Prof. Dr Hans Henning Hahn and Dr Berit Pleitner from the Institute of History were honoured in the "Best Module" category. In the category "Particularly successful guidance for independent academic work and research", the prize went to historian Mareike Witkowski. Prof. Dr Ralf Grüttemeier and Dr Foekje Reitsma from the Institute of Dutch Studies were honoured for their commitment in the category "Particularly successful re-registering students for credits". The award is endowed with 500 euros in prize money and earmarked personnel funds for teaching.

The University of Oldenburg has been honouring outstanding achievements in teaching and supervision since 1998. Teachers are nominated by students. This year, 24 nominations were received. A jury consisting of university lecturers, students and external members decides on the award, which is sponsored by the Universitätsgesellschaft Oldenburg (UGO).

^{In the photo (from left): UGO Chair Michael Wefers, Mareike Witkowski, Dr Berit Pleitner, Prof Dr Hans Henning Hahn, Dr Foekje Reitsma, Prof Dr Ralf Grüttemeier and Prof Dr Gunilla Budde. (Photo: Markus Hibbeler)}

The award winners

Prof. Dr Hans Henning Hahn, Dr Berit Pleitner
Category: Best Module
Module: "Eastern European History after 1500 / History of the 19th and 20th Centuries: European Paths into Modernity"
Jury statement: High degree of innovation both in the type of examination and in the examination of places and cultures of remembrance with the integration of current research references, which is expressed both in an excursion and in the close interlinking of the module components.

Mareike Witkowski, M.A.
Category: Particularly successful guidance for independent academic work and research
Module: "Regional Places of Remembrance"
Jury statement: The book project created during the course can be described as outstanding. It represents the concretisation of research through own production. Furthermore, the special examination of places of remembrance with a regional reference is emphasised.

Prof. Dr Ralf Grüttemeier, Dr Foekje Reitsma
Category: Particularly successful re-registering student credits
Module: "Literature, Context and Institutions"
Jury statement: Excellently interlinked and transparent feedback structure for both parts of the module. Formulation of central starting points for re-registering students and definition of clear structures for the learning process.

Supported by the Universitätsgesellschaft Oldenburg