The "Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin Preis für Gute Lehre" 2024 was presented this week. Under the motto "Sustainable teaching and learning", the award went to the "Studium Oecologicum". The prize money amounts to 10,000 euros.
Rather unusually, this year's prize does not honour a person or an event, but a concept. The Studium Oecologicum is open to students from all disciplines and enables them to gain expertise in sustainability topics within a year. They receive a certificate in return. Also noteworthy: the programme, which has grown over twelve years, is designed and prepared by students for students.
With the award, the university recognises the great commitment of its students who organise the programme. "This is a huge advantage, because the participants are particularly motivated, can actively help shape the programme themselves, there are no hierarchies and a lot of trust in the programme designers," says Dagmar Haase, Professor of Urban and Landscape Ecology and patron of the "Studium Oecologicum". "It also only deals with topics that are of interest to the age group of Bachelor's and Master's students at Humboldt-Universit?t as a whole. And that's not always what the professors are interested in."
It's about all facets of climate, sustainability and global change. "We have topics on sustainable nutrition, on sponge cities and questions of justice or on mistrust in climate science and data." The role of democracies and autocracies will be examined, as well as issues relating to the compatibility of digitality or AI and sustainability. "We are bringing excellent speakers to Humboldt-Universit?t who play an outstanding role in German and European environmental and sustainability research," says Dagmar Haase. Activists, NGO employees and researchers give high-quality lectures that go far beyond the repertoire of normal modules. "They are extremely exciting and lead to many discussions among the students."
In addition to the public lecture series, the participants attend practical seminars and contribute their experience from their specialisms. "This great interdisciplinary conglomerate is expressed in the posters that they create together," says Haase. The posters are part of the innovative examination formats of the "Studium Oecologicum", alongside podcasts and a portfolio with questions.
Award for good teaching
Every year, the "Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin Preis für Gute Lehre" honours successful and innovative teachers and teaching concepts that have been implemented as part of regular teaching at Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin. Changing focal points draw attention to different aspects of good teaching and thus stimulate a comprehensive discussion. The prize money of 10,000 euros, which is awarded by the HU, can be used by the award winner for teaching purposes at their own institute.