Teacher of the Year Award

Every year at the annual commemoration, the University of Copenhagen presents the Teacher of the Year Award to one of the University’s full- or part-time lecturers for excellent and inspirational teaching.

The winner of the Teacher of the Year Award 2023 was associate professor Cecilie Rubow, Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences.

The Teacher of the Year Award is given to one of the University's teachers, part- or full time employed, for good and inspirational teaching. By giving out the award, the University of Copenhagen wishes to highlight and appreciate high-quality university teaching.

The winner receives a decorated porcelain owl from Royal Copenhagen and DKK 25,000.

The University of Copenhagen Academic Board on Education Strategy (KUUR) appoints the winner of the award based on the submitted nominations.

Nominate a candidate for the Teacher of the Year Award 2024

Students and employees in collaboration with students (for example under the study boards) at the University of Copenhagen can nominate candidates for the Teacher of the Year Award by filling in the nomination form. Nominations made solely by employees or teaching colleagues without involving students will not be considered.

Deadline 4. April 2024

The deadline for nominations for the Teaching Award 2024 is 4. April 2024. Nominations received later than this day will not be considered. The deadline has passed, it is no longer possible to nominate teachers for the award.

Who can be nominated?

All permanent or part-time lecturers at the University of Copenhagen can be nominated for the Teacher of the Year Award.

Criteria for receiving the Teacher of the Year Award

The University of Copenhagen Academic Board on Education Strategy (KUUR) has adopted the following criteria for receiving the Teacher of the Year Award. When nominating someone for the award, please give examples of how the lecturer meets the criteria. You can make a nomination even if you are unable to account for all the criteria.

  1. The teacher makes an extraordinary contribution to achieve a high level of commitment, critical reflection and a high academic level among students.
  2. The teacher communicates complex subject material in an inspiring way and gives the students constructive feedback.
  3. The teacher plays a significant role in the innovation and quality enhancement of teaching, e.g. through introduction of new teaching methods and new technology or incorporation of new research-based knowledge for the benefit of the students.
  4. The teacher involves and shares experiences with colleagues and use feedback from the students to enhance their own teaching.
  5. The teacher supports teaching relevancy, e.g. by including experiences of practice and inspiration from external parties.
  6. Through their research-based teaching and supervision, the teacher contributes to ensuring that students learn to apply scientific theories and methods.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s Teaching Prize

All lecturers that are nominated for the University’s Teacher of the Year Award will automatically be nominated for the Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s Teaching Prize of DKK 500,000. The University of Copenhagen Academic Board on Education Strategy appoints two lecturers among the candidates for the University's teaching award, who will be the University’s nominees for the Ministry’s Teaching Prize the following year. Read more about the Ministry's Teaching Prize (in Danish only).

Do you have any questions?

For further information about the nomination procedure, please contact Søren Vernegren Kirk (soren.kirk@adm.ku.dk), Education & Students.