Antonius Schneider and Friedrich Esch receive Prize for Excellence in Teaching

Outstanding TUM educators honored

Last Monday in Würzburg, Minister of Science Markus Blume presented the award – each worth €5,000 – to university lecturers from across Bavaria. This annual distinction, conferred by the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts, celebrates outstanding achievements in teaching. 

“Great teaching today creates the excellence of tomorrow,” Blume emphasized. "Those who not only impart knowledge but also ignite a passion for their subject ensure that today’s talents grow into tomorrow’s leading experts.” 

“Among this year’s 20 award recipients were two TUM School instructors: Antonius Schneider (TUM School of Medicine and Health) and Friedrich Esch (TUM School of Natural Sciences). They also received a Certificate of Honor for Excellence in Teaching from Gerhard Müller, Senior Vice President Academic & Student Affairs at TUM – along with four other colleagues who were also nominated by their schools for the Prize for Excellence in Teaching: Nicola Breugst, Stephan Günther, Thomas Hinterholzer, Orkan Okan, and Stefan Recksiegel. 

Thanks to Antonius Schneider, medical students at TUM benefit from a highly practice-oriented and forward-thinking curriculum enriched with digital and interactive elements – such as integrating practicing physicians into coursework and using online case studies to prepare students for medical practice. Schneider is the director of TUM’s Department of General Medicine and Health Services Research, Bavaria’s first academic chair in primary care medicine. 

To address the acute shortage of general practitioners in rural areas, he launched the “Beste Landpartie Allgemeinmedizin” (BeLA) program. In collaboration with the TUM Medical Education Center (TUM MEC), Schneider developed training programs and support concepts that are now motivating students across Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg to establish careers as primary care physicians in rural areas.

Friedrich Esch, from the Department of Chemistry in the School of Natural Sciences, is equally committed to hands-on scientific education. His innovative teaching and assessment methods extend far beyond the lecture hall. Among them are open-ended experiments that encourage students to tackle complex scientific challenges and develop a deeper understanding of broader concepts. 

In addition to receiving teaching awards such as the Ernst Otto Fischer Prize, Esch has earned one of the highest forms of recognition: top ratings from students for his lecture “Clusters and Nanoparticles”.  

Through his “Garchingale” initiative, Esch has created a platform where science becomes an engaging experience: students present their lab findings in the form of scientific screencasts. His didactic approach opens up new avenues for dialogue – not only within academia but also with the wider public. Moreover, Esch instills in his students the very qualities that propel both science and society forward: curiosity and a spirit of discovery.