Winners UU Teacher Awards 2024: Gerard van der Ree and Gerrit Verweij
At the OnderwijsFestival on Thursday 7 March, the winners of the prestigious Teacher Awards were announced. Gerard van der Ree, Assistant professor International Relations (University College Utrecht) won the 2024 Teacher of the Year award. Gerrit Verweij, teacher in ALPO & Educational Sciences (Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences) has been elected Teacher Talent of the Year 2024.
The jury chose these teachers because of their open and approachable attitude within teaching and the way they involve and stimulate students. These two teachers know how to create a nice, open atmosphere in their classes, encourage students to actively participate in the teaching and its interpretation, and connect theory with practice and their own experiences of themselves and students. In total, there were 33 nominations this year for the jury to choose from. After the first jury meeting, three nominees remained in both the category Teacher Talent and in the category Teacher of the Year. During the second jury meeting, a delegation from each study association came to present the nominated teacher. This year, the jury was very impressed by the quality of the nominations. Criteria in the selection included the teacher’s educational vision, the creation of interaction with students and the role of the teacher in question within and outside the study programme.
Are you curious about the six nominees? Please watch the videos below in which they introduce themselves.
Nominees Teacher of the Year 2024
Nominees Teacher Talent of the Year 2024
Announcement ceremony
The announcement ceremony and presentation of the awards took place in the Academiegebouw, as part of the well-attended OnderwijsFestival. The winners were addressed in the Aula by Gery Nijenhuis, jury chairman of the Teacher Awards, under the watchful eye of colleagues, family, friends and students of the winners. The teachers in the election are nominated by their student associations. These students put a tremendous amount of work into the nomination every year. Some of them were therefore present at this festive ceremony. During the university's Dies Natalis on Tuesday 26 March 2024, both winners will once again be highlighted.
Teacher of the Year 2024
Gerard van der Ree is associate professor of International Relations at University College Utrecht. In their teaching, they find it important to navigate between the inner world of thinking, consideration and conceptualisation and the outer world of social challenges, action and taking a position. They are able to get students to talk to each other in a conducive way and to involve students in shaping education. They also have a successful, unique approach to lectures and assignments, which strongly reflects their educational vision. Students described their courses and their contribution to their personal and academic development as life-changing. Gerard van der Ree was nominated by Doortje Koldeweij of University College Student Council.
Teacher Talent of the Year 2024
Gerrit Verweij is a lecturer in ALPO & Educational Sciences within the Faculty of Social Sciences. Gerrit is a very enthusiastic lecturer who is always looking to connect. He knows how to connect theory with practice, but also with students' prior knowledge and experiences, allowing them to immediately make theory their own. He finds it important that students feel seen and safe, and does everything he can to facilitate this. Students appreciate his coaching role and the sense of competence he instils in them. Gerrit Verweij was nominated by Emilie Kuiper of study association VOCUS.
Jury
This year, the jury consists of Gery Nijenhuis (chairman), Arjen Vredenberg, Serena Di Palma, Sebastiaan Steenman, Niels Bovenschen, Gerda Andringa, David Onnekink, Lotte Henrichs, Bouke van Gorp, Luciel van Vuuren, Ilja Timmermans (student member) and Robin Pleizier (student member). The jury is supported by Marijne Wijnker (Centre for Academic Teaching and Learning).