Dr Michael Paetz receives Hamburg Teaching Award 2024

24 July 2024

Photo: BWFGB/Kirstin Hammerstein

On 16 July, 13 lecturers at Universität Hamburg were awarded this year's Hamburg Teaching Prize at a festive ceremony in the State and University Library. Among the award winners was a lecturer from the WISO faculty, Dr Michael Paetz, who has made it his mission to motivate students to take maths courses on the Economics degree programme.

A good knowledge of maths is often a necessary prerequisite and a constant companion when studying economics. This makes it all the more important to "pick up students at the level they bring with them", says Dr Michael Paetz, who works in the Department of Economics as a research assistant with teaching duties only. He pursues this approach in the preliminary mathematics course, the exercises for the lectures Mathematics for Economics I and II and the lecture "Monetary Theory and Policy", for which he has now been honoured with the Hamburg Teaching Award.

Another secret of success for good teaching, according to Dr Michael Paetz, is to come across as human and approachable. This is the only way to create a friendly working atmosphere in which students are happy to ask questions. During breaks or after lectures, he actively seeks out dialogue with students to ask whether they are following along well or have feedback on the lecture.

For the jury, this ability to motivate students for this difficult-to-access methodological content - also through a critical examination of economic theories beyond the mainstream - was a key reason for the decision to nominate Dr Michael Paetz for the teaching award. Further information on the Hamburg Teaching Award 2024 can be found here.

The Dean's Office congratulates Dr Paetz and thanks all students who submitted proposals for the Hamburg Teaching Award.