Frank Chouraqui wins Faculty Teaching Prize
Frank Chouraqui, University Lecturer of Philosophy, received the Faculty Teaching Prize during the Opening of the Faculty Year in the City Auditorium. ‘He knows how to make the boring interesting and fun.’
Every year, the Faculty Teaching Prize is awarded to the best university lecturer of the Faculty of Humanities. Chouraqui was nominated by a group of students who are taking his course Philosophy of Culture. They emphasize his unique way of teaching within the study programme: he gets his students involved in his lectures by asking them about their first impressions and criticisms of the study material.
A lecturer with a passion for his profession
‘He really wants to teach us something and thinks it's important that we pay attention. What he gives off is that he has a real passion for his profession. He thinks carefully about every sentence he says during his lectures. His words are well thought out and he makes concepts clear in several different ways,' the students wrote in their nomination.
The university lecturer goes further than just lecturing: he is always available for personal questions and criticism and knows how to include humour and contemporary examples in his lectures.
Excellent lectures, useful discussions but no phones
Timo Oei, student member of the Committee on Teaching, presented the prize to Chouraqui: 'According to students, Frank Chouraqui is an excellent lecturer, he actively gets students involved and encourages useful discussions. What is worth mentioning, is that he has a very strict ‘no phones policy’, which also significantly improves student’s focus during his lectures.
‘I'm honoured to be here,' Chouraqui responded, 'and the reason we're here is the enthusiasm of our students. That enthusiasm isn't something I create during my lectures; it's something the students take with them when they walk into my lecture because they've just attended lectures by my colleagues. That is why I would like to share this award with [my colleagues from] the Institute of Philosophy.’
Award ceremony on the dance floor
This year, the Faculty Teaching Prize was awarded during the Faculty Party. Earlier in the evening, the four nominees (Pepita Hesselberth, Luuk de Ligt, Ans de Rooij and Frank Chouraqui) taught mini-lectures in which they gave a glimpse behind the scenes of their lectures in ten minutes.
Later in the evening, students, staff and external guests all came together in the Great Hall of the City Auditorium for the awarding of the prize. After the presentation, the party continued, as there was something else to celebrate in addition to the Teaching Prize: the 444th anniversary of Leiden University and our faculty.
Faculty Teaching prize
Every teachers of the faculty can be nominated for the Faculty Teaching Award. The jury, consisting of the Committee on Teaching, assesses the nominated teachers based on the quality of their lectures, supervision and educational material. With the prize comes a sum of €1000.