2026 Distinguished Teaching Award winner – knowledgeable, confident and socially sensitive

You found out in May 2026 that you had been chosen for the Distinguished Teaching Award in the area of theology, humanities and educational sciences.

Did you know about it in advance or were you surprised?
“I suspected that something was going on when the director of studies asked me to keep a class back in a lecture hall at a certain time so that he could call by on some errand. And sure enough, I was told about the award then and there – in front of the class, in a dramatic and surprising way! The Deputy Vice Chancellor and the entire review committee all lined up to congratulate me with the justification for the award, flowers and smiles, followed by a round of applause.”

Do you know who nominated you?
“I don’t know for sure who nominated me, but in the justification I recognised a group of language history students who had expressed themselves in similar terms in their many positive comments in course evaluations, in greetings when we encountered each other on campus, and in e-mails to me. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their engagement in class, their interest in languages and their infectious delight in acquiring new knowledge through dedicated study.”

You received the award because you are a knowledgeable, confident and socially sensitive teacher who empowers the students to absorb demanding course content through his clear instruction and constructive feedback.

Is there anything special that you do when it comes to teaching?
“It’s difficult to define what might be ‘special’ in my teaching in concrete terms, but the award justification does highlight confidence and engagement in how I teach. These are precisely the qualities I want to impart to the students. In course evaluations, many of them comment on a good atmosphere in class, that it’s encouraging. That kind of atmosphere certainly promotes learning.”

What do you think is the most important thing about your role as teacher in relation to the students?
“I would refer you to the award justification once again to answer that question. The most important things for teaching is clarity and constructive feedback.” What is clarity? Well, I’d say that the different components in the teaching should build on each other in the zone where the students currently are, where they have the capacity to develop. Working together in groups should also be promoted, time should be set aside for the students’ questions, and the questions that the teacher asks need to support the development of the students’ capacity to reflect. Constructive feedback given orally or in writing provides concrete guidance for the students’ future development.”

Do you also contribute to your colleagues’ educational development?
“Yes, in a way, through discussions and development work in our teaching faculties at the department and in study programmes, but also more specifically through some development projects that I’ve initiated. One such project is the case method approach with upper secondary school teachers in a curriculum studies course, another is a project that involves partnering with schools to facilitate teacher education students’ practice-based independent projects.”

Do you have any concrete tips, advice and thoughts about teaching?
“Concrete tips and advice on teaching and learning are best given after a specific teaching session. So one piece of advice is to start observation projects at the department, attend colleagues’ lectures and seminars, and then have a discussion about teaching and learning.

“One of my thoughts about teaching and learning is that it is the class, the group of students, who make the teaching successful. The justification for the award calls this social sensitivity. By listening to what the students have said in the course evaluations, a common thread will emerge from their comments. And finally: As students’ knowledge grows, their abilities develop and their analyses start to hit the mark: confirm and commend them!”

And finally, do you know what you’re going to do with the award money?
“Celebrate in a big way somewhere else.”

Ulrika Hurtig