Teaching in the Spotlight: Teaching Award 2025 at UAS Technikum Wien

22 October, 2025
Outstanding teaching achievements, dedicated teachers, and excellent master’s theses were honored at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien. The Teaching Award 2025 focused on the diversity and quality of good teaching.
On October 20, 2025, the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien presented its Teaching Awards for the fourth time. The event in the large ballroom was organized by the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). The evening once again demonstrated the breadth and quality of teaching at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, which is closely aligned with practice, research, and students.
Kick-off, jury, and procedure
After the musical opening by the VIENNA Strings, Sylvia Lingo (Head of the Teaching and Learning Center) welcomed the guests, consisting of university management, jury members, students, colleagues, family members, and friends, and explained the objectives and significance of this award ceremony, the categories, and the program for the evening.
The submissions were evaluated by the international and interdisciplinary jury on the basis of course information, submission forms, Moodle courses, and evaluations. A total of 40 submissions were received, around one third of which were student nominations.
Rector Sylvia Geyer then gave an introductory speech in which she emphasized the importance of good teaching for the university and highlighted the joint commitment of teachers and students as a key factor for success.
Jury & functions in alphabetical order:
- Florian Eckkrammer, Managing Director of UAS Technikum Wien
- Sylvia Geyer, Rector of UAS Technikum Wien
- Sylvia Lingo, Head of the Teaching and Learning Center, UAS Technikum Wien
- Peter Reichel, Secretary General, OVE – Austrian Association for Electrical Engineering
- Stefan Robien, HTW Executive Board (university lecturer representative)
- Bernd Schenk, Program Director BSc Business Administration, Liechtenstein Business School (University of Liechtenstein)
- Angela Weißköppel, Head of the Teaching Service Center, Berlin University of Applied Sciences
- Daniela Wolf, Ferdinand Porsche FernFH; Founder of techshelikes
The following categories were honored at this year’s Teaching Awards: Best Lecturer (nominated exclusively by student groups), Learning & Study Success, Impact & Relevance, and Project-based Learning (submitted by teachers).
The Best Lecturer category recognizes teachers who are particularly effective in supporting student learning success.
They use a variety of methods, provide easy-to-understand and technically sound materials, and create a positive learning atmosphere. They encourage independent learning, stimulate critical engagement with the content, and respond to the needs of students. Through their commitment and exemplary role, they motivate students to engage intensively with the topics.
Teaching Award 2025: Awards by category
Best Lecturer
Focus on the student perspective – awards were given to teachers who are particularly good at supporting students’ learning success and who create a positive learning atmosphere through their didactic skills and motivate students to engage intensively with the subject matter through their commitment and communication skills.
Due to the high number of submissions, the jury decided to award three prizes:
- Friedrich Bauer – Digital Systems and Computer Architecture (BA Communication & Information Systems; Embedded Systems competence field)
- Jury’s reasoning: Engaging structure with keynote speeches and accompanying learning videos, clear interaction formats, and thoughtful use of humor. The learning environment promotes understanding of modern computer architectures and continuously engages students. Student feedback: high motivation, comprehensible exam focus, noticeable appreciation in interactions.
- Diane Shooman – English Writing Skills (MA Medical Engineering & eHealth; Social Skills & Communication)
- Jury’s reasoning: Highly individualized support, peer learning, and iterative feedback in a constructive learning atmosphere; multiple student nominations and very good evaluations prove its effectiveness. Student feedback: promotes independent thinking and structured argumentation.
- Ines Stelzer – Mathematics for Engineering Science 2 (BA Electronics; Mathematics/Statistics/Physics)
- Jury’s reasoning: Stringent theory-practice link with visualizations (including GeoGebra), clear communication, and open learning culture. Student feedback: highly comprehensible, reliable materials, subject-specific inspiration beyond the course.
Learning & Study Success
This category recognized courses that, through a clear structure and innovative didactic concepts, provide students with targeted and systematic support on their learning paths and thus measurably support their academic success through this focus on learning outcomes..
Two prizes were awarded to
- Peter Zeilinger – E-Commerce (BA Business Informatics; Digital Enterprise & UX)
- Jury’s reasoning: Didactically consistent flipped classroom design with clear progression from basic knowledge to shop optimization; continuous, individual feedback. Student feedback: high practical relevance, visible increase in competence.
- Gordin Zupkovitz & Wolfgang Holnthoner – Current Problems in Regenerative Medicine (MA Tissue Engineering; Cell Technologies and Biomaterials)
- Jury statement: Well-founded combination of theory and problem-based learning in small groups, with fixed feedback loops and a high degree of personal responsibility. Student feedback: Experienced recognition of individual learning paths and productive self-research phases.
Impact & Relevance
This category recognizes courses that actively integrate socially relevant topics and current challenges into teaching. The aim is to help students prepare for the demands of a changing world and recognize the practical and social significance beyond the subject matter.
The prize was awarded to:
- Alexander Hirschl-Schmol, Rupert Wychera & Daniel Österreicher – Wind Power (BA/MA Renewable Energy Technologies)
- Jury’s reasoning: Combines technical fundamentals and planning with ecological, economic, and ethical issues; excursions and current research projects create a strong practical focus. Student feedback: Professional execution, high-quality materials, and valuable insights into ongoing projects.
Project-based learning
The Project-based Learning category recognizes courses in which students learn as independently, practically, and application-oriented as possible by working on projects. The focus is on dealing with complex issues, developing solutions or approaches independently, and collaborating in an interdisciplinary manner wherever possible.
Two prizes were awarded to:
- Roman Beneder – Embedded Systems Software 1 (MA Embedded Systems; Embedded Systems)
- Jury’s reasoning: Strong industry focus, work on Aurix and PSoC platforms, focus on real-time operating systems and multicore design; individual work on real hardware throughout the semester. Student feedback: High level of satisfaction, noticeable gain in competence through many practical tasks.
- Judith Klamert-Schmid & Sabine Traxler – Entrepreneurial Engineering (BA International Industrial Engineering; Industrial Product Life Cycle Technologies)
- Jury’s reasoning: Project-based learning with design thinking, business model canvas, and meaningful AI integration; independent teamwork, peer reviews, and clear application orientation. Student feedback: Perceived as particularly realistic and motivating.
Significance of the awards
The award-winning courses demonstrate how student-centeredness, practical relevance, and research integration work together: structured learning paths, clearly defined roles in the project, diverse feedback formats, and responsibility for one’s own learning decisions. The result is teaching that builds skills – from academic writing to entrepreneurship and embedded systems to energy transition topics.
The evening also honored award winners who received national and international teaching awards during the 2024/25 academic year.
International recognition & special awards
- Ars Docendi – State Prize for Excellent Teaching (Recognition Award in the category Quality Improvement in Teaching and Studyability ) Link to ArsDocendi## Ars Docendi 2025 – State Prize for Excellent Teaching## p. 6´3
- Paul Talbot (area of expertise: social skills & communications) for Technical English – awarded for the consistent further development of a compulsory format into a competence-oriented, digitally supported teaching concept that addresses heterogeneous student groups.
- PROFFORMANCE 2024/2025 – International Higher Education Teacher Award (category: inclusion & diversity)
- First place went to the project ASSIST HEIDI – Co-Designing for the Good in Mixed International Teams; Team: Sarah Langer, Alija Sabic, Florian Ellinger, Martin Deinhofer, Natascha Toman, Oliver Klein, Susanne Buchner-Sabathy. Awarded for user-centered, inclusive design with the active involvement of people with disabilities and international collaboration. Link to the ASSIST HEIDI course
Link to the award ceremony: Awardees in Inclusion and Diversity
Master’s Thesis Awards 2024/2025
The faculties honored master’s theses that particularly fulfill the general assessment criteria, demonstrate high significance and innovative strength, and specifically advance practice and research. In addition to the award and recognition, the students also receive the opportunity to attend a free seminar day at the Technikum Wien Academy. Link: Technikum Wien Academy
- Industrial Engineering
- Award winner: Manav Sharma – Validation and quantification of network simulations and state estimation techniques (MA Renewable Energies; supervisor: David Fellner). Reason (summary): Contribution to power grid resilience through data-driven state estimation; combination of statistical methods and ML, robust results with real-world data.
- Life Science Engineering
- Award winner: Florian Czeczil – Simulating and evaluating airflow and aerosol deposition in the human upper airways: in-vitro/in-silico comparison (Medical Engineering & eHealth; supervisor: Richard Pasteka). Reason (summary): Combines 3D-printed anatomical models, experiments, and CFD simulations; clinically relevant statements on the optimization of inhalation therapies.
- Electronic Engineering & Entrepreneurship
- Winner: Leonardo Lovric – Analysis and Demonstration of Single Event Upsets (SEUs) in Configuration Memory of Lattice ECP5 FPGAs (MA Embedded Systems; supervisor: Christian Fibich). Reason (summary): In-depth analysis of error mechanisms and “critical bits” with high relevance for robust systems.
- Computer Science & Applied Mathematics
- Winner: Milos Jovanovic – University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien Information Artificial Intelligence Chatbot (Master AI Engineering; supervisors: Isabel Dregely & Bernhard Knapp). Reason (summary): Innovative, open system architecture with semantic and lexical search; sustainable benefits for information access.
About the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien
The University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien is Austria’s university of applied sciences for technology and digitalization. Since its foundation in 1994, it has produced around 18,000 graduates. Currently, more than 4,700 students, including more than 1,000 women, are being trained in more than 30 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs to become top executives for the economy. The degree programs are offered in daytime or evening formats. The courses are scientifically sound and at the same time practical. In addition to high-quality technical training, great importance is also attached to economic and personality-building subjects. Excellent contacts and cooperation with business and industry open up the best career opportunities for students and graduates. Both in teaching and research, the integration of theory and practice is a top priority.
UAS Technikum Wien is a network partner of FEEI – the Association of the Electrical and Electronics Industry and a member of the Alliance for Sustainable Universities.
Further information: www.technikum-wien.at
Printable images here in the cloud folder.
Copyright: UAS Technikum Wien / Alek Kawka
In the pictures: Winners of the Teaching Award 2025 in the ballroom of UAS Technikum Wien, at the Teaching Award ceremony on October 20, 2025.
Further information:
Teaching Award 2024 at UAS Technikum Wien: Excellent teachers and innovative master’s theses
Good teaching honored: Teaching Awards 2023 presented at UAS Technikum Wien





















