Studying with excellence?

We have the "Professor of the Year"!

Great success for Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences: The UNICUM Foundation has announced the winners of the national "Professor of the Year" competition - and Prof Julia Oswald, Professor of Business Administration at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, has been awarded first place in the Economics/Law category.

With this title, the foundation recognises university lecturers who prepare students in a special way for their career entry. For University President Prof Dr Alexander Schmehmann, the award is a strong sign: "It confirms the high quality of our teaching. It is particularly valuable that the nominations come directly from the students - a clear expression of their appreciation."

Dean of Studies Prof. Dr Ursula Hübner also emphasises the importance of the award: Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences has been known for its outstanding teaching for many years. Teachers have already received the award several times, including Prof Dr Uwe Kanning in 2016 and Prof Dr Dirk Sauer, Prof Dr Heiner Westendarp and Prof Dr Christof Radewagen in 2022.

However, good teaching alone is not enough for the application: The jury requires comprehensive references, evaluation results and answers to a detailed catalogue of questions.

Prof. Dr Julia Oswald is grateful: "I am delighted that my work has been recognised." She has been teaching at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences for ten years and heads the Business Administration in Healthcare (BIG) degree programme. Her teaching combines academic excellence with practical relevance: clear learning objectives, up-to-date content and close collaboration with companies and institutions in the healthcare sector.

Student Vivien Helfen, a Master's student on the Management in Healthcare (MIG) programme, describes Oswald as an inspiring personality: "She shows us how much you can achieve with knowledge in the healthcare sector. Her enthusiasm and sense of responsibility motivate us enormously."

Oswald uses her strong network to realise practical projects - including the annual "BIGer meets BIGer" format, which brings students and graduates together and offers insights into career paths. She is also particularly keen to encourage young women to take on management positions in the healthcare sector: "Being a companion to students - at the start of their careers or in their career development - is the basis of my vocation."

The UNICUM Foundation award ceremony will take place at the end of November as part of the annual BIG conference at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. The foundation has been honouring professors in four categories every year since 2006. The patrons are the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.