At the festive award ceremony in the Aula of the Haus der Wissenschaft, the student-centred teaching awards were presented in 2025 to honour the outstanding work of lecturers and students in the courses. The event was supported by the Braunschweigischen Hochschulbund e.V. and iTUBS.
The TU Teaching Awards were presented for the second time on 27 October 2025 to honour the outstanding work and special commitment of teaching staff and students in the courses.
Courses from the winter semester 2024/25 and the summer semester 2025 were honoured. The students had the sole right to nominate and select the award winners. In the further course of the selection process, the student councils and subject groups of the six faculties made a pre-selection of the courses per faculty. On this basis, the student jury had the task of finding a final ranking.
The jury's decision was based, among other things, on the nominations submitted by the students, the assessment of the subject groups and student councils as well as the evaluation results or teaching concepts of the courses. Criteria such as clarity and structure of teaching, teaching methods used, student involvement, professional expertise and social and ethical responsibility served as guidelines for the decision-making process.
The lecture “Mustererkennung” by Prof. Dr. Tim Fingscheidt, Marvin Sach, Björn Möller and Yihui Fu from the Institute for Communications Technology receives the award for best lecture. Students were particularly interested in the highly topical and modern subject matter and its direct relevance to current technological developments. The evaluation especially emphasized the clear structure with examples and accessible explanations, as well as the positive learning atmosphere. “The lecture is not only informative, but also fun—it sticks in your mind and encourages you to think further,” was the verdict from one nomination text.
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Blum from the Institute of Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics succeeded in conveying the complex content of his relatively new English-language course “Formation and Evolution of the Solar System” in a logical, clear, and easily understandable manner. The lecture takes second place in the “Best Lecture” category. Students appreciated Prof. Blum for his professional and respectful manner. He was open to discussion and suggestions for improvement and is a true role model in teaching, according to one of the nominators.
Third place in the “Best Lecture” category goes to Prof. Dr. Frederik Möller from the Institute for Business Information Systems with his lecture “Datenökosysteme und Datensouveränität.” Prof. Möller impresses with his passion, approachability, and commitment. “Prof. Möller is always approachable, responds immediately to inquiries, and really takes time for our individual needs,” was stated in one nomination. With its goal-oriented, interactive structure and integration of current research, practical examples, and students' ideas, “Datenökosysteme und Datensouveränität” differed from a typical lecture.
The award for “Best Undergraduate Course” is received by Prof. Dr. Christof Backhaus from the Institute of Marketing for his lecture "Einführung in das Marketing." Students praised Prof. Backhaus for his ability to create an open and personal atmosphere despite the large number of attendants. Particular mentioned was the interactive teaching style, his enthusiasm, and the practical application due to guest lectures and excursions. “This is exactly why this lecture should be nominated: because someone with genuine motivation and commitment is doing a good job of teaching here – and because it shows that even large introductory courses can be more than just a transfer of knowledge,” was said in one student nomination text.
Second place in the category “Best Undergraduate Course” is awarded to Prof. Dr. Sándor Fekete from the Institute of Operating Systems and Computer Networks with his lecture “Algorithmen und Datenstrukturen.” His infectious enthusiasm for the subject had a particularly motivating effect on his students, whom he guided through the compulsory course with equal measures of good humor and technical expertise. The lecture captivated the audience with its interactive approach. The lecturer succeeded in filling the course with life and creativity with his good humor, videos, quizzes, and occasional musical interludes.
In the category “Best Undergraduate Course,” Prof. Dr. Tim Fingscheidt, Marvin Sach, Björn Möller and Yihui Fu from the Institute for Communications Technology also take third place with their course “Mustererkennung.” With their passion, energy, humor, and genuine enjoyment in teaching, the lecturers succeeded in creating a motivating atmosphere that encouraged students to think along and further develop their ideas, leaving a lasting impression on them. The current and modern topic of the course was conveyed in a way that was as accessible as possible, with a high level of technical expertise, well-thought-out explanations, and helpful examples.
The tutorial “Regelungstechnik” clearly linked theory and application, earning Till Hagemann from the Institute for Intermodal Transport and Logistic Systems the award for “Best Student Tutorial.” He was nominated for two of his tutorials and is highly regarded not only by students but also by the research assistants at his institute. The students found the tutorial challenging but instructive, as the material was very well prepared and made tangible through comprehensible calculation examples. “Strong teaching with real added value” was the conclusion in the nomination.
William-Dale Möller from the Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry succeeds once again in achieving a place in the “Best Student Teaching” category with his tutorial “Übergangsmetalle AC 2” thanks to his dedication and commitment. This time, he takes second place because he not only showed dedication and the ability to convey complex content in an understandable and practical way, but also encouraged students to think independently and was always available to them. In addition, he quickly implemented student feedback and advocated their concerns.
Third place in the “Best Student Teaching” category goes to Thomas Laux from the Institute of Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics with his tutorial “Physik II: Elektromagnetismus und Optik.” Thomas Laux's expertise and approachability, as well as his ability to explain topics in an authentic and entertaining way, were especially appreciated. His patient manner gave students the confidence to ask questions at any time. “If you feel like the teacher and you are talking at cross-purposes, you should go to Tomi,” the nomination reads.
In the category “Best Seminar,” students voted for the bachelor's seminar “Data-Driven Enterprise” by Prof. Dr. Frederik Möller and Prof. Dr. Thorsten Schoormann from the Institute for Business Information Systems. They attested that the course offered a particularly successful combination of theoretical input and practical application. The seminar also offered students the opportunity to work on their own topics independently, while the clear framework and excellent support provided guidance. “It is an example of how good teaching can really help students to advance,” said the laudatory speech.
Dr. Imke Lang-Groth from the Institute of German Studies takes second place in the “Best Seminar” category with her seminar “Einführung in die Sprachwissenschaft I.” The nomination especially emphasized the lecturer's enormous passion: "Dr. Imke Lang-Groth is simply a born lecturer when it comes to training teachers. " Her way of combining her expertise with humor made the course great fun for the students and encouraged them to learn. The classes were very well structured and at the same time flexible, allowing for free and self-directed study.
The seminar “Ästhetische Sprachförderung” by Elena Kammerer from the Institute of German Studies is awarded third place in the category “Best Seminar.” Elena Kammerer impressed with her competent, friendly, and fair manner. She allowed students in her seminar to experience literature with all their senses, thus giving them a whole new approach to literary texts. In addition, she was committed to ensuring that the work and student experiences from the seminar were exhibited at the FremdSprachKunstGalerie as part of Impact Learning.
In this category, Jan Hölzer from the Institute of Philosophy takes first place with his “Redewerkstatt – Vor und zu anderen sprechen.” The course impressed with its excellent preparation, transparency, freedom of decision-making, and learning atmosphere that promoted interpersonal communication. Jan Hölzer was particularly appreciated for his great commitment, his clear and motivating teaching style, and his respectful treatment of students. “I found it to be the most educational experience for me throughout my entire studies – and it wasn't even part of the curriculum,” the nomination stated.
The exercise “Technische Mechanik 1 für Maschinenbauer” by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus Böl and Dr.-Ing. Naser Al-Natsheh from the Institute of Mechanics and Adaptronics is awarded second place in the category “Best Tutorial (German Übung) / Best Laboratory.” The exercise provided a valuable addition to the lecture and excellent preparation for the challenging exam. The nomination stated: “I have never seen such enthusiasm for the subject and for teaching, and his commitment was also outstanding. Dr. Al-Natsheh offered further help outside of lecture hours [...] because it was so important to him that the students understood as much as possible and also passed the exam.”
In the category “Best Tutorial (German Übung) / Best Laboratory” Prof. Dr. Martin Johns, Tobias Jost, Malte Wessels and Jannik Hartung from the Institute for Application Security takes third place with their course “Praktikum IT-Sicherheit 2.” The instructors succeeded in motivating the students with a challenging, practical, and playful format that resembled a hacking competition. The nomination particularly highlighted the well-managed online platform and the closing event in the form of an award ceremony, which showed appreciation for the students.
Another third place in the category “Best Tutorial (German Übung) / Best Laboratory” is awarded to Prof. Dr. Susanne Robra-Bissantz, Bijan Khosrawi-Rad and Patrick Hiske from the Institute for Business Information Systems for their course “Teamprojekt Service-Informationssysteme.” In their nomination, the students particularly praised the opportunity to freely develop a concept for teaching development and learn a lot about project work, research, and good teaching in the process. At the same time, they found the supervision to be very committed, e.g., with regard to arranging contacts.
We would like to thank our sponsors, the Braunschweigischen Hochschulbund e.V. and iTUBS, for their financial support, Nik Dömeland for moderating the event, the student jury and the specialist the student representetives for sorting and selecting the courses, all those responsible for Stud.IP for implementing the nomination process, the Studierendenwerk for the catering and all students for their nominations, as well as all lecturers for their great teaching!
Johannes Bruns | Jule Lilje | Stefanie Winkler-Franz
