Good Teaching Is Not Just Its Own Reward

A number of prizes are awarded to teachers for innovative ideas and outstanding commitment

Awards for teaching at Technische Universität Berlin

Prize for Outstanding Teaching

The Prize for Outstanding Teaching is awarded annually at Technische Universität Berlin to teachers demonstrating exceptional commitment. The prize helps raise the profile of innovative new teaching concepts and encourages teachers to explore new paths. At the same time, the award serves to underscore the importance and requirements of teaching as laid out in the University’s mission statement on teaching. The 4,000-euro prize is awarded by the Society of Friends of Technische Universität Berlin.

Faculty VI Planning Building Environment Teaching Award

The Faculty VI Planning Building Environment Teaching Award is bestowed for outstanding and exemplary teaching, exceptional commitment, and dedication to helping students. The prize is worth 5,000 euros and is awarded every two years.

National awards for teaching

Genius Loci Prize for Excellent Teaching

The Genius Loci Prize for Excellent Teaching is awarded to universities with a teaching mission statement and which view teaching as an area of experimentation and innovation. Each year, the Stifterverband and the Volkswagen Foundation award 20,000 euros to a university or a university of applied sciences. The prize money is to be used for a specific purpose. The Genius Loci Prize is the only prize for excellent teaching offered by an institution at national level.

Ars legendi Prize for Excellent University Teaching

The Ars legendi Prize for Excellent University Teaching creates a real incentive for university teachers to strengthen their commitment. The 50,000-euro prize is awarded by the Stifterverband in recognition of outstanding achievements in specific aspects of teaching, such as student motivation, rather than for teaching in a subject group or specific discipline.

Ars legendi Faculty Prize for Engineering Sciences and Computer Science

The Ars legendi Faculty Prize for Engineering Sciences and Computer Science recognizes outstanding and innovative teaching in engineering sciences and computer science at universities as well as the important role teaching plays in training new generations in these disciplines. The 25,000-euro award supplements the Ars legendi Prize for Excellent University Teaching and has been awarded every three years since 2011. The prize is awarded by 4ING (the umbrella organization of university faculties of engineering sciences and computer science) and the Stifterverband.

Ars legendi Faculty Prize for Mathematics and Natural Sciences

The Ars legendi Faculty Prize for Mathematics and Natural Sciences is awarded for outstanding, innovative and groundbreaking work in the areas of teaching, advising and supervision. This may refer to developing, implementing and teaching new curricula or elements of programs (modules, courses) as well as developing and implementing new advising and support concepts for students and prospective students. The 5,000-euro prize is awarded annually in the categories of biosciences, chemistry, mathematics, and physics by the Stifterverband, the German Mathematical Society, the German Physical Society, the German Chemical Society and the German Life Science Association.

VDMA University Award "Best Machine House”

The German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association’s “Best Machine House” award is aimed at academic chairs, research groups and faculties in the areas of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science. The prize is awarded for outstanding commitment to better university teaching as well as for concepts and ideas which improve the quality, methodology and quality assurance of teaching and facilitate the success of degree programs. This richly endowed prize is awarded every two years as a sign of the high value placed on teaching at all German universities.