2026 Distinguished Teaching Award winner with a particular ability to engage with different groups of students

In May 2026, you learned that you had been selected for the Distinguished Teaching Award in the area of law and social sciences.

Did you have any idea that you might receive this award?
“I was totally surprised – it really wasn’t something that I’d expected.”

Five awards, each worth SEK 20,000, are made each year. Students and teaching staff can nominate teachers in one or more of the specific nomination categories. To be nominated, they must have made outstanding contributions that support and promote students’ learning.

Do you have any idea who nominated you?
“No, I don’t know who nominated me.”

You received the award for your capacity to support students’ learning and your particular ability to engage with different groups of students.

Is there anything in particular that you do to achieve this?
“I think that teaching is very much about engagement – you need to really want to teach and to find it fun to teach. It’s also a lot about being well prepared and knowing before each lecture what you want to achieve and how you’re going to do it.”

What do you think is the most important thing about teaching?
“I’m privileged to be working at a department where teaching has always been important. I’m surrounded by and work with colleagues who are highly skilled teachers. It’s worth emphasising that much of my teaching is in courses involving several teachers. It’s actually more about teamwork than anyone’s individual performance.”

Do you also contribute to your colleagues’ educational development?
“My colleagues would be best placed to answer that question.”

Do you have any concrete tips about teaching and learning?
“Here are my best tips and there are two of them. Firstly, prepare well. For the whole course, meaning its content and structure, as well as for each individual teaching session. Secondly, try to put yourself in the receiver’s shoes. I think that learning only starts being delightful when the content and level are well adapted to the student’s level.”

What will you do with the award money?
“I will probably spend it on an educational trip of some kind. If I’m not mistaken, one of my role models at Uppsala University, Stig Brewitz, answered this question similarly when he was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award.”

Ulrika Hurtig