Kees van Veluw receives the education award for his subject Ecological design & permaculture. Photo: Daniel Wiersma.
In Impulse several people were put in the spotlight. Rector Arthur Mol called the teachers ‘rightful winners’. From the subject evaluations of students, on which the judgements were based on, it was found that the coordinators were able to make students enthusiastic about difficult or less appealing subjects. Many award-winning subjects were evaluated as ‘really challenging’, ‘informative and fun’ and ‘intense but fascinating’. One of the students called the course Research master cluster for Animals sciences the ‘best subject of my whole WUR career’.
The education awards were awarded for the third time this year. Usually there are prizes for three different categories: the introductory courses, the more in-depth courses and special courses, such as Capita Selecta. This year it was the first time that there was also a prize for courses with more than four hundred students. Bakker received a slightly bigger seedling than Gosse Schraa, who also won with Microbiology & Biochemistry (457 students).
Also the best in the other categories received a slightly larger statue than the rest. The best introductory course was ‘Policy, people and resources in comparative perspective’ of Jessica Duncan, which is appreciated by students because of the detailed feedback and the excellent teachers. Winner in the category for best in-depth subject was Field training Geosciences, coordinated by Jeroen Schoorl. Two years ago he was also one of the winners. The best special subject was Ecological design & permaculture of Kees van Veluw. A special achievement, as the optional subject was given for the first time. ‘ You seem to have managed to reach a lot of students.’ Besides teacher, Van Veluw is also a columnist for Resource.
Most coordinators were present to receive the prize. The people that were not present, have a different job now, often abroad. ‘A loss for us as a University, but change is good for your career’, According to Mol. To the other teachers he joked: ‘And it gives you more chance to win next year.’