Award to Thomas Denk: “An exceptional teacher”
Örebro Student Union’s President Anna Olsenius and vice President of Educational Policy Viktor Breström congratulate Thomas Denk to the Excellent Teaching Award 2024.
During one of his seminars, Thomas Denk was paid a surprise visit by Örebro Student Union, colleagues and representatives of the Centre for Academic Development. He is one of two winners of Örebro Student Union’s Excellent Teaching Award 2024.
“I’m surprised and honoured. Feedback is always great, especially when it’s this positive,” says Thomas Denk.
He is a professor of political science and teaches comparative politics and research methodology, gives doctoral courses, and supervises doctoral students. In collaboration with Örebro County Administrative Board and the Central Civil Defence Region he has also developed an introductory course on total defence systems for professionals.
Students’ nominations of Thomas Denk to the Excellent Teaching Award highlight his dedication to teaching:
“Thomas Denk is an exceptional teacher and supervisor. His broad, up-to-date and research-based knowledge within the field clearly inform his teaching. He keeps a close eye on events and developments, providing students with insights that are both current and rooted in research”.
“Dedication is a keyword when describing Thomas’s teaching. The passion he has for his field is contagious, making lectures and seminars dynamic and interactive”.
To Thomas Denk, teaching expertise means using communication and interaction as pedagogical tools. Working with various methods of higher education pedagogy is something that inspires him.
“I tend to try out different teaching methods to see what works best in a particular group,” says Thomas Denk.
Out of 416 nominations of 108 teachers in total, Örebro Student Union has named two winners of the Excellent Teaching Award 2024. Thomas Denk is alongside Åsa Källström, social worker and professor of social work, this year’s award winner.
Since 1999, Örebro Student Union has awarded the Excellent Teaching Award to two teachers who have “demonstrated resolve and an ability to create, together with the students, a learning experience on a scholarly basis, which is characterised by innovative teaching and learning methods; active knowledge development; critical thinking; and international perspectives”.
Each year, all students at Örebro University have the chance to nominate teachers they think convey knowledge in way that is particularly engaging. The winners are selected by an assessment panel consisting of students and representatives of Örebro Student Union. During the selection process, names, sex and school affiliation of the nominees are unknown to the panel.
In selecting the award winners, the assessment panel is to consider the extent to which each nomination comply with the five criteria laid down for the award. Focus is therefore not on how many nominations a teacher gets. This method is favoured by Örebro Student Union with the aim of enabling a greater range of nominees, independent of the number of students on a course.
The five criteria
Scholarly basis
In what way does the teacher demonstrate their broad, up-to-date and research-based knowledge in the subject?
Innovative teaching and learning methods
How often does the teacher use different teaching methods to adapt their teaching to different levels and target groups?
Active knowledge development
In what way does the teacher engage their students?
How can you tell that the teacher listens to and uses the feedback given by students to develop their teaching activities?
Critical thinking
In what way does the teacher encourage development of students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills?
International perspectives
In what way does the teacher demonstrate an openness to different experiences and diversity?
Text: Anna Asplund
Photo: Alexandra Bencze
Translation: Charotta Hambre-Knight