Centre for Teaching and Learning
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​​At SU a system of institutional awards for teaching excellence was introduced in 2017. This was done based on a recommendation by the Task Team for the Promotion and Recognition of Teaching adopted by Senate in June 2015 and is currently under review. This information will be updated annually. 




SU Teaching Awards 2024

The call for applications for the 2024 Stellenbosch University (SU) Teaching-Learning-Assessment (TLA) Awards is now open! These prestigious awards recognize and celebrate excellence in teaching, learning, and assessment at SU, highlighting the critical role of educators in advancing student success and promoting transformative education.


Eligible teaching staff are invited to apply for one of two award categories:

  • Vice-Chancellor’s TLA Awards, acknowledging leadership and contributions to the scholarship of teaching and learning.
  • Scholarly Teacher Awards, celebrating reflective and evidence-informed teaching practices.


Applications are open to all permanent and contract academic staff, with portfolios serving as the primary vehicle for evaluation. Support is available through the Centre for Teaching and Learning to assist applicants in preparing their submissions.

For more information on the awards and application requirements, contact Dr Karin Cattell-Holden (kcattell@sun.c.za) or access the SU TLA Awards guidelines document and respective application form. Submit your application by 30 January 2025 to showcase your excellence in TLA and inspire innovation across our academic community.


SU Teaching Awards 2023​

The institutional selection panel for the Stellenbosch University (SU) Teaching Awards 2023 and the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) would like to congratulate the following lecturers on receiving an award in the categories Leaderly Teaching Scholar and Scholarly Teacher:

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SU Teaching Awards 2022

The institutional selection panel for the Stellenbosch University (SU) Teaching Awards 2022 (previously the SU Teaching Excellence Awards) and the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) would like to congratulate the following lecturers on receiving an award in the categories Leaderly Teaching Scholar (previously Distinguished Teacher) and Scholarly Teacher (previously Developing Teacher):


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SU Teachi​​ng Excellence Awards 2021

The institutional selection panel for the Stellenbosch University (SU) Teaching Excellence Awards 2021 and the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) would like to congratulate the following lecturers on receiving an award in the categories Distinguished Teacher and Developing Teacher:


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SU Teachi​​ng Excellence Awards 2020

The institutional selection panel for the Stellenbosch University (SU) Teaching Excellence Awards 2020 and the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) would like to congratulate the following lecturers on receiving an award in the categories Distinguished Teacher and Developing Teacher:


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SU Teachi​​ng Excellence Awards 2019

The institutional selection panel for the Stellenbosch University (SU) Teaching Excellence Awards 2019 and the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) would like to congratul​ate the following lecturers on receiving an award in the categories Distinguished Teacher and Developing Teacher:

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SU Teaching Excellence Awards 2018


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The annual Teaching Excellence Awards and Research Excellence Awards ceremony took place at STIAS on 4 December 2018. The awards were presented at the same function for the second year in a row. Prof. Arnold Schoonwinkel, Vice-Rector: Learning and Teaching, emphasised the complementary relationship between teaching and learning and research. He referred to teaching as an integral part of SU as a research-led university, commenting that “research on how to teach well is as important as research on what you teach." In the same context, Prof. Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, called SU not only a research-intensive university, but also a teaching-and-learning-intensive university.

Prof. Schoonwinkel, who presented the Teaching Excellence Awards, said that teaching and learning are a “shared endeavour". With regard to the professionalization of the teaching role at SU, he described the opportunities for lecturers to research their teaching, such as the annual SoTL conference and the FINLO/FIRLT grants. Prof. Schoonwinkel referred to the Teaching Excellence Awards as a “progressive route" which could lead to a Teaching Fellowship and/or an HELTASA national award for teaching excellence.

Prof. Schoonwinkel presented 11 Teaching Excellence Awards. These awards acknowledged lecturers in two categories, 'Distinguished Teacher' or 'Developing Teacher', based on their experience and leadership in the scholarship of teaching and learning. Applicants had to submit a portfolio that demonstrated their reflection on and evidence of four main components: context, students, knowledge and professional growth. They also had to indicate the lessons they had learnt on their journey to becoming excellent teachers.     

The following lecturers received Teaching Excellence Awards in the category 'Developing Teacher':

  • Dr Elize Archer (Centre for Health Professions Education, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
  • Dr Lidia Auret (Department of Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering)
  • Dr Eric Decloedt (Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
  • Prof. Faadiel Essop (Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science)
  • Ms Zahn Münch (Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences)
  • Dr Michael Schmeisser (Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of AgriSciences)
  • Ms Natasha Sexton (School of Accountancy, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
  • Dr Debra Shepherd (Department of Economics, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
  • Ms Anria van Zyl (School of Accountancy, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
  • Dr Bjorn von der Heyden (Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science)

Prof. Deborah Blaine (Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering) received a Teaching Excellence Award in the category 'Distinguished Teacher'. Prof. Blaine's portfolio demonstrated not only in-depth reflection on her approach to teaching and her professional growth, but also the underpinning of her teaching practice by the scholarship of teaching and learning. She engages in numerous educational leadership activities, research projects and scholarly communities of practice, also beyond SU.

Five SU Teaching Fellows also received certificates of recognition. Profs. Elmarie Costandius, Ian Nell, Dana Niehaus, Nicola Plastow and Geo Quinot completed their fellowships between 2011 and 2017. The fellowship scheme provides the opportunity for excellent teachers and scholars of teaching and learning to spend more consistent periods of time, with various forms of support, to focus on aspects of renewal, exploration and dissemination of good practice in departments and faculties. Current holders of a teaching fellowship are:

  • Prof. Ingrid Rewitzky (Vice-Dean: Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Science)
  • Dr Elize Archer (Centre for Health Professions Education, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
  • Dr Berna Gerber (Division of Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
  • Ms Marianne McKay (Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Faculty of AgriSciences)
  • Dr Michael Schmeisser (Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of AgriSciences)
  • Dr Marianne Unger (Division of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)


SU Teaching Excellence Awards 2017

Stellenbosch University initiated an annual system of institutional teaching excellence awards in 2017.

The awards were designed to acknowledge excellent teaching at institutional level and offered an opportunity to value reflective and contextually-aware teaching. The aims of the awards were:

  • To show support at an institutional level for excellence in teaching and learning in higher education;
  • To generate a cadre of academics who are able to provide inspiration and leadership in teaching in their disciplines and across the institution, and
  • To generate debate and public awareness about what constitutes teaching excellence. 

Candidates were nominated by their faculties on the basis of a teaching portfolio and the applications were then evaluated by an institutional selection committee.

The selection committee approved the following 13 awards for 2017: 

  1. Dr E.M. Adendorff (Dept. of Afrikaans and Dutch, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences)

  2. Mr J.C. Bekker (Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering)

  3. Mr W.A. Bishop (School of Accountancy, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)

  4. Prof. N. Davids (Dept. of Education Policy Studies, Faculty of Education)

  5. Ms E. de Jager (School of Accountancy, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)

  6. Prof. C. Esterhuysen (Dept. of Chemistry and Polimer Science, Faculty of Science)

  7. Dr D. Forster (Dept. of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology, Faculty of Theology)

  8. ​​Prof. K. Jacobs (Dept. of Microbiology, Faculty of Science)

  9. Ms M. McKay (Dept. of Viticulture and Oenology, Faculty of AgriSciences)

  10. Dr M. Nel (Dept. of Public Law, Faculty of Law)

  11. Prof. R. Rudman (School of Accountancy, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)

  12. Ms G. Steenkamp (School of Accountancy, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)

  13. Prof. S.C. van Schalkwyk (Centre for Health Professions Education, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences).



For more information on the 2024 SU Individual TLA awards, click here.

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