By Marianne Fuglsang Welling Farsinsen, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Photo: Hjortlund Medier

“When you step into the auditorium for Sune’s lectures, the room is typically packed. Sune’s lectures are not something you want to miss out on.” This is just one of the many positive remarks from the students’ motivational statement, which forms the basis for naming Professor Sune Qvotrup Jensen from the Department of Sociology and Social Work as the SAMF Teacher of the Year at SSH.

Sune Qvotrup Jensen teaches students in the sociology and criminology programme, where attendance is consistently high. In their evaluations, students express that Sune succeeds in communicating complex sociological perspectives in an approachable way while maintaining a high academic standard that connects with their reality and motivates them to learn more.

Passion and expertise that captivates the students

Sune Qvotrup Jensen is very happy to be named Teacher of the Year and is especially proud of the students' positive statements that form the basis for the award.

“It’s a great acknowledgement, and I’m incredibly happy about it. I strive to teach in a lively way, where my own passion and expertise shine through. Where the students sense that I’m passionate about it, and that it captivates them beyond the lecture hall. I have a severe visual impairment, so it’s also a pat on the back for being able to teach effectively, even though I have to do some things a bit differently,” says Sune Qvotrup Jensen.

"It’s a great acknowledgement, and I’m incredibly happy about it. I strive to teach in a lively way, where my own passion and expertise shine through. I want students to have that sense that I’m passionate about the subject, and that my enthusiasm reaches them beyond the lecture hall. I have a severe visual impairment, so it’s also a pat on the back for being able to teach effectively, even though I have to do some things a bit differently,” says Sune Qvotrup Jensen

The latter is also highlighted in the students’ motivation, where Sune is recognised as a role model for how he handles his visual impairment. Students describe him as being highly present and an exceptionally skilled educator who does not rely on PowerPoint in his teaching.

In addition to being highly regarded by students as a lecturer, Sune Qvotrup Jensen is also a popular supervisor who takes time to support students and provides constructive and concise feedback that helps them develop their methodological and theoretical competencies within the framework of problem-based learning. “Not all of you can have Sune as your supervisor,” is often said with a smile when students submit their requests for supervisors.

“Of course, I have academic knowledge I want to share, but a significant part of my motivation comes from the interaction and relationships with students, whether it’s during supervision or lectures. That connection inspires me, and I always leave with renewed energy,” concludes Sune Qvotrup Jensen.

Sune Qvotrup Jensen has been selected by the Study Board for Sociology and Criminology and as the Teacher of the Year in the social sciences at SSH. He is now a candidate for the title of AAU’s Teacher of the Year, which will be announced at AAU’s annual celebration on 4 April 2025.

SSH honours several teachers in the field of social sciences

• Study Board for Law: Bjørn Holtze
• Study Board of Politics and Society: Laust Høgedahl
• Study Board of Economics (cand.oecon.): Sebastian Valdecantos
• Study Board of Business Administration: Jimmi Normann Kristiansen
• Study Board of Social Work: Andreas Møller Jørgensen
• Study Board of the Social Work programme: Berith Heien