Benjamin wins inaugural teaching excellence award

DR John Benjamin is the first winner of the Divine Word University (DWU) inaugural award for teaching excellence.
The university’s teaching excellence awards is part of the award system for its lecturers and tutors.
Benjamin (pictured) is with the Department of Health extension in the faculty of medicine and health sciences.
The award includes a grant of K5,000 to be used for improving learning and teaching.
Benjamin will present a seminar on good teaching early next year.
Two other awards were presented to academics from Madang and Rabaul campuses.
Joseph Ogi, of the department of business studies in the faculty of business and informatics, received the DWU Madang Campus award for good teaching.
Margaret Kulilan, of St Mary’s School of Nursing, Vunapope, received the DWU Rabaul Campus award for good teaching as well.
St Mary’s School of Nursing, Vunapope, is part of the faculty of medicine and health sciences, DWU, Rabaul Campus. To be eligible, academic staff must be nominated by a group of at least three students.
For this year, sixteen academic staff were nominated, across all faculties and from Madang, Port Moresby and Rabaul campuses.
All those who were nominated received a certificate of recognition.
The aims of the awards are:

• To celebrate excellence in teaching, demonstrating the importance DWU places on good learning and teaching;
• to recognise the efforts of highly effective and dedicated teachers, affirming their contribution;
• to encourage others to improve their teaching; and,
• To establish a cadre of leaders in teaching to mentor less experienced academics.

Awardees and nominees will receive their certificates later.