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	Suggestion Box 60 years university fund

Every year the Wageningen University Fund presents the election
of the best teacher of Wageningen University. The aim is:

to publicly honour excellent teachers
to focus attention on the importance of good education.

The award consists of:

a replica of the statue De Leermeester by Jan Praet
(the original is located in front of de Leeuwenborch)
cash prize of € 2500 to be spent on activities related to educational professionalisation.

Teacher of the Year election 2012

Teacher of the Year nominees announced

After successful elections last month, in which 28% of eligible students voted, the nominees for the Teacher of the Year Award 2012 are now known. The following five teachers are in the race for the prestigious title:

- Frits Claassen

- Jan Willem van Groenigen

- Ljiljana Rodic-Wiersma

- Huub Savelkoul

- Marthijn Sonneveld

Based on election results a longlist of 15 teachers was composed. They were all interviewed by the student jury. Subsequently, the jury deliberated and selected the nominees.

The winner will be announced during the official award ceremony on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 17:45 hrs. The ceremony is going to be organized in conjunction with the Student Council New Year’s Drink at Forum.

All nominees will receive €2.500, a certificate of honor, and a jury report. The winner will also get a personal report and a statuette by artist Jan Praet.

Teacher of the Year 2011: Gert Peek

His infectious enthusiasm, the approachability he exudes to students and the way in which he is able to translate complex matter so that it is understandable for everyone – these are the qualities that have resulted in Gert Peek winning the Wageningen Teacher of the Year Award 2011. The Soil Sciences lecturer was chosen on Tuesday evening following a poll of 1200 students.

The other nominees were Jan Willem van Groenigen (Soil fertility), Ute Sass-Klaassen (Forest ecology), Paul Torfs (Hydrology) and Renger Witkamp (Pharmacology and nutrition). They all receive a bonus of 2500 euros and a certificate. The winner also receives a small statue, a bronze replica of The Master Teacher (De Leermeester) by the artist Jan Praet. The original can be found in front of the Leeuwenborch building. The Teacher of the Year Award is awarded by the jury of the Wageningen University Fund (WUF), comprising seven students.

As a lecturer in Soil Sciences, Gert Peek encourages students to develop into independent thinkers. At weekends, he puts himself forward as an excursion leader, showing students the beauty of nature and science using soil profiles. Peek, who has been teaching since 1977, lectures for modules including Soil and water, and Geology, soil and landscapes in the Netherlands.

Poll
The poll for the Teacher of the Year mobilised 1200 students to give their vote – 27 per cent of those entitled to vote. This is a record turnout. The five nominees were selected from 171 candidates on the basis of criteria including module evaluations and scores in previous polls. The Award is intended to promote high-quality education at the university.

Teacher of the year 2010 and previous years

	Teacher of the Year 2010 André van Lammeren Besides his passion for the subject, interaction with students and broad array of teaching material, the jury also valued the way Van Lammeren urges students to think about issues. 'Students with queries are welcomed in his office at all times, but they hardly leave with direct answers. André motivates his students to ponder the issues which they have raised.'
	Teacher of the Year 2009 Jan den Ouden
	Teacher of the Year 2008 Dane Bicanic (Laboratory of Biofysics) (second on the right) 'Demonstrating rather than presenting end-results and guiding the students in their reasoning are important aspects of Dane’s teaching'
	Teacher of the Year 2007: Arie Terlouw (Experimental Zoology Group) 'His great dedication to students and his friendly nature make him a very popular teacher among students'
	Teacher of the Year 2006: Theo Hendriks (Operational Research and Logistics) 'It is his expertise, enthusiasm, modesty – and his never-ending patience – that make him an excellent teacher'
	Teacher of the Year 2005: Reint Jan Renes (Communication Sciences) 'The choice of Reint Jan Renes is especially remarkable because he has created such a positive impression among students in such a short time, having worked at the University for less than two years..’
	Teacher of the Year 2004: Gosse Schraa (Microbiology) 'His lectures are interactive, he obviously enjoys teaching and he transfers this sense of enjoyment to his students'