Skills development at the heart of teaching and study

In addition, a further six modules were recognised. Teaching Day also honoured last year’s top female STEM students and provided an opportunity to present certificates for international competence and to recognise student engagement. 

The Teaching Prize, worth 5,000 euros, was accepted by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sylvio Simon, Head of the Tool Making Machines chair, Sindy Schmidt, a researcher in the Telecommunications chair, and Shadi Sykora, an engineer in the Electronic Circuit Technology chair, to cheers from the members of the student team Lausitz Dynamics. They lead the study module, which brings together students from various study programmes and combines their individual skills and abilities, but above all unites the strong shared commitment of all those involved.

BTU Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Prof. Peer Schmidt, emphasises: “The module selected for the teaching award demonstrates in a particularly striking way the effectiveness of competence-oriented and practice-based teaching. Building on a solid grounding in the technical and scientific fundamentals of fuel cell technology, energy recovery and storage, as well as vehicle engineering and aerodynamics, the module participants developed their own solutions for the further development and optimisation of the vehicle. Under the guidance of the teaching staff, they worked together in an interdisciplinary team, with a particular focus on interdisciplinarity and skills development. The motivation and extraordinary commitment of everyone involved ultimately paid off during their participation in the Shell Eco-marathon. In this way, the students have undoubtedly gained formative experiences.”

Competencies without exams? Exams without competencies?

This was the central question posed at this year’s ninth Teaching Day. Around 50 lecturers and Staff Members from all faculties engaged in workshop discussions on what good examinations should look like in the age of AI, and how they can make students’ skills visible and assessable. They also discussed the relationship between knowledge and skills, and how skills-based seminars should be designed to ensure successful study. The participants agreed: at the end of their studies, what really counts is what the students are actually capable of.   

The keynote speech from Aachen sets the tone

Prof. Dr Malte Persike, academic director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning Services at RWTH Aachen University, is regarded as one of the most prominent voices in the German higher education debate when it comes to examination formats in the age of generative AI. The presentation reflected the current challenges very authentically – as evidenced by numerous studies – whilst repeatedly referring to the specific circumstances at BTU. The subsequent workshops, ‘Effective Assessment: Making Competences Visible’ and ‘Designing Competence-Oriented Seminars – Building Blocks for Academic Success’, were clearly inspired by the keynote address. The discussion often centred not on the ‘whether’ but on the ‘how’ of changing study and teaching practices, navigating the tension between didactic standards, resource availability and potential change management, whilst involving all stakeholder groups.

An overview of prizes, honours and certificates 

Teaching Award 2025

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sylvio Simon, Sindy Schmidt, Shadi Sykora
– ‘Energy-Efficient Vehicles’ module

The Teaching Award, worth 5,000 euros, has been presented annually at the BTU since 2009.

Runner-up certificates for six further teaching modules

• Dr.-Ing. Majid Asli
  , ‘Unsteady Aero-Thermodynamics of Turbomachinery’ module
• Dr Mubarik Kassium Rabiu & Verónica Rosales Mitte
  , ‘Fit4Future Summer School’ module
• Pascal Fröhlich
  , ‘Selected Topics in Energy Economics’ module
• Wiesław Wasilewski & Bartosz Łysakowski
  : ‘Drone Flight and Digitalisation’ module
• Steven Kramm, Katherina Lindt, Collins Igboji & Sola Ojo
  : ‘Climate Change and Migration’ module
• Armin Vollstedt
  Module: Media Theory and Practice

Awards for the best female STEM students
for outstanding academic performances and community engagement

• Maja Sophie Schneier, Bachelor’s degree programme in Electrical Engineering (dual)
• Sandra Marie Stroiczek, Bachelor’s degree programme in Artificial Intelligence
• Cathy Sulaiman, Master’s programme in Physics

The awards are presented by the Equality Office and are worth 500 euros for Bachelor’s students and 1,000 euros for Master’s students.

Certificates in International Competence

• Andreas Salmen, chair of the Department of Business Administration, specialising in Empirical Business Research and Transformation
• Katharina Timm, Central Languages Service
• Diana Häusler, Corporate Identity, Dual Career and Family Support Unit
• Maria Nowotnick, Chairs of Micro and Nano Systems / Control Systems and Network Control Technology

The certificate courses in International Competence are offered by the Centre for Continuing Education (ZWW).