Skip to main content
DA / EN
DA / EN

Search

Sub-policy for Teaching

Teaching that promotes learning

High-quality teaching and a good learning environment at the University of Southern Denmark are key to students becoming part of an academic community and being able to strengthen their knowledge, skills and competences. The teaching is characterised by teachers, students, management and administrative staff – together with councils, boards and committees – continually working to ensure high academic standards and high pedagogical quality. At the same time, our learning environment is characterised by communities with a strong sense of commitment.

See the policy's goals for:

High academic standards

Teaching at the University of Southern Denmark reflects the high level of knowledge and research of its teachers. Our teaching is constantly being developed, and it is a priority for us that the teaching is conducted by researchers who can bring their research into play in an academic community, and we emphasize the integration of professional practice into the curriculum where this is relevant for the profile of the education programme.

Standards of practice

The high academic standards are ensured and developed at the University of Southern Denmark in at least the following ways:

  • The teaching reflects the high priority given to teachers being affiliated with active research environments that create knowledge at the highest level.
  • Teachers develop the academic content of their teaching based on relevant research and practical knowledge, and on the description of the learning outcomes defined for the course elements in the form of knowledge, skills and competences.
  • The academic level and content of the teaching is systematically evaluated and developed based on peer feedback, external experts, incoming external examiner reports, exam statistics, evaluations and other input from students and teachers. This applies to all courses and course elements, including those outside of the University (e.g. study periods abroad, company placements, internships and clinical placements).

Support for the sub-goal

The sub-goal is followed up on as part of the ongoing work of the study board and the head of department as described in the annual cycles and faculty implementations, and also in connection with meetings held as part of the Study Programme Report process.

The follow-up should include:

  • Student evaluations
  • Exam statistics
  • Any additional insights (e.g. in the form of input from teachers, persons responsible for courses, and from external experts or external examiner reports)

Responsibilities may be delegated, but are in principle divided as follows:   

  • The head of department is responsible for the teaching at the department. They must ensure that relevant and qualified teaching is delivered and that it fulfils the academic requirements of all relevant ministerial orders as well as the above objectives and standards of practice. In this context, the head of department must ensure that an overview is available of the study programme’s teaching staff and their affiliations with relevant academic environments. The head of department must ensure that evaluations of course elements are followed up on, if relevant in relation to staff responsibilities.
  • The study board must quality assure and develop the quality of the teaching, and have a plan for and conduct the evaluation of course elements and ensure that evaluations are followed up on.
  • The study board must ensure that the teaching and the examination requirements are commensurate with the objectives of the education programme and the specified examination regulations.
  • The head of studies must requisition qualified teachers from relevant departments pursuant to the decisions of the study board. The study board must, together with the head of studies (and together with the heads of department, where appropriate) ensure continuous evaluation of the teaching as well as the necessary follow-up.

Task allocation:

  • SDU Centre for Teaching and Learning: supports teachers with pedagogical knowledge and inspiration for teaching research processes and methods, and for ways of incorporating the teachers’ research in their teaching.

Operationalisation at the faculties

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

Quality and development of higher education pedagogy and teaching skills

At the University of Southern Denmark, pedagogical and didactic practices support student learning based on the University’s core principles of activating teaching and active learning. The teaching is carried out by teachers who are committed to developing pedagogical and didactic knowledge and competences, who encounter general support and recognition and visibility of higher education pedagogical practices and their development.

Standards of practice

Pedagogical and didactic quality and development are ensured and developed at the University of Southern Denmark in at least the following ways:

  • It is clear to teachers what the University expects with regard to the development of their pedagogical skills and the quality assurance and development of student-centred learning. The possibilities for the further development of higher education pedagogy and teaching skills as well as the incentive therefor are equally clear.

  • Teachers’ pedagogical and knowledge dissemination and communication skills are systematically reviewed and updated. This happens during recruitment and through continuous reflection on their own practice and the acquisition of relevant pedagogical and didactic knowledge.

  • Teaching, tests and exams are developed in accordance with the University’s core principles of activating teaching and active learning. This entails the systematic application of knowledge about higher education pedagogy and the development of pedagogical and didactic skills.

  • The pedagogical and didactic quality of the teaching and the alignment of the teaching with the course assessment are continually and systematically evaluated and developed based on, for example, sparring with colleagues, exam statistics, skills development, research, evaluations and other input from students and teachers.

Support for the sub-goal

Pedagogical and didactic quality is monitored as part of the ongoing work of the study board, and also in connection with meetings held as part of the Study Programme Report process.

The sub-goal is followed up on in connection with the ongoing work of department heads and the SDU Centre for Teaching and Learning, and also in connection with meetings held as part of the Study Programme Report process.

The follow-up should include:

  • Student-centred surveys (including Learning Barometer and teaching evaluations)
  • Exam statistics
  • Any additional insights (e.g. sparring with colleagues and input from external examiner reports, supervisors, teachers and students)

Responsibilities may be delegated, but are in principle divided as follows:

  • The University must have a plan for the development and maintenance of higher education pedagogy and didactic skills, and must ensure that descriptions are available of expected pedagogical and didactic knowledge, skills and competences (cf. The pedagogical competence profile), as well as descriptions of the possible recognition of merit in the field of higher education pedagogy and incentives in this area.
  • The faculty is responsible for ensuring that follow-up on the quality of higher education pedagogy and teaching skills as well as follow-up on the development of the teaching are included as an element in the study board’s annual cycle.
  • The head of department has, by authority, responsibility for managing the department’s employees, and must ensure that all teachers have the pedagogical and didactic skills needed to fulfil their specific teaching tasks, and that permanent teachers actively participate in continuous professional development.
  • The head of department is responsible for the teaching at the department and must ensure that both relevant and qualified teaching is delivered at an academic standard that meets the above requirements. In this context, the head of department must ensure that the teaching at the department is delivered in the best possible academic, pedagogic and didactic way. To this end, the heads of studies and the study boards are to be included.
  • The head of department has the resources required for the pedagogical and didactic development of teaching, and collaborates with the study board and the head of studies to identify and select focus areas.
  • The study board must ensure that the teaching and the examination requirements are commensurate with the objectives of the education programme and the specified examination regulations.
  • The study board must quality assure and develop the quality of the teaching, and have a plan for and conduct the evaluation of course elements while ensuring follow-up on these evaluations.
  • The head of studies must requisition teaching in accordance with the decisions of the study board and, together with the study board (and in cooperation with the heads of department, where appropriate) must ensure regular evaluation of the teaching and other course elements as well as the necessary follow-up.
  • Teachers must prepare a teaching portfolio and must regularly discuss with their personnel manager how their pedagogical and didactic skills can be maintained and developed. See the teaching portfolio guidelines at SDU.
  • Teachers employed as assistant professors must complete the teacher training programme.

Task allocation:

  • SDU HR: Informs on the University’s requirements, plans and incentives regarding teachers’ skills at the time of their appointment and in connection with ongoing skills development.
  • SDU HR: Provides courses on teaching in English.
  • SDU HR and the SDU Centre for Teaching and Learning: Provides personnel managers with knowledge and inspiration on how they can support the teachers’ pedagogical and didactic skills and their further development, for example in relation to performance and development reviews.
  • SDU Centre for Teaching and Learning: Provides follow-up research and development in the field of higher education pedagogy and didactics, offers general and targeted courses (categorised according to The pedagogical competence profile), and follows up on uptake.
  • SDU Centre for Teaching and Learning: Supports teachers by offering inspiration and skills development in the field of higher education pedagogy and didactics (including work with teaching portfolios).
  • SDU Centre for Teaching and Learning: Follows up on courses and other initiatives that have been implemented (including uptake and by whom).
  • SDU RIO: Supports teachers with knowledge about and inspiration for pedagogical-didactic tools to integrate career-focused elements in their teaching (including the involvement of companies, organisations and other external partners in teaching activities and student input).

Operationalisation at the faculties

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

Good learning communities

At the University of Southern Denmark, our learning communities are characterised by mutual respect, cooperation, well-being, openness and high levels of engagement, and students are supported, guided and challenged with this in mind. Students are part of academic communities and co-responsible for the teaching and learning.

Standards of practice

Good learning communities are ensured and developed at the University of Southern Denmark in at least the following ways:

  1. Teaching supports an inclusive learning environment, which means that students and teachers thrive and engage in mutually appreciative and constructive dialogue with respect for academic values and diversity.

  2. Good learning communities are based on teaching methods that offer opportunities for active participation, and which focus on feedback and the possibility of participating in study groups.

  3. Digital and physical learning spaces support the teaching methods used.

  4. The learning communities are continually and systematically evaluated and developed, based also on evaluations and other input from students and teachers.

Support for the sub-goal

The sub-goal is followed up on as part of the ongoing work of the study board, and also in connection with meetings held as part of the Study Programme Report process.

The follow-up must include:

  • Insights from student-centred surveys (including the Learning Barometer and teaching evaluations)
  • Exam statistics
  • Any additional insights (e.g. discussions with colleagues and input from external examiner reports, supervisors, teachers and students)

The evaluation of and follow-up on the sub-goal must be supported in the following ways:

  • The University must make physical and digital facilities available for the teaching, and must ensure the University’s rules on conduct, freedom of expression and freedom of teaching are readily accessible.
  • The Faculty is responsible for ensuring that follow-up on the teaching and learning environment is part of the study board’s annual cycle.
  • The head of department has the resources needed to develop learning communities, and collaborates with the study board and the head of studies to identify and select focus areas.
  • The study board must quality assure and develop the quality of the teaching, and have a plan for and conduct the evaluation of course elements while ensuring follow-up on these evaluations.
  • The study board, together with the head of studies (and in cooperation with heads of department, where appropriate), must ensure continuous evaluation of the teaching and other course elements as well as the necessary follow-up.

Task allocation:

  • Technical Services and SDU IT: Responsibility for lecture halls and classrooms, technical equipment and digital support of the teaching environments and learning communities (including follow-up on relevant input in university-wide student-centred surveys).
  • SDU Analytics: Presentation of relevant data from student-centred surveys (including the Danish Student Survey and the Study Environment Survey).
  • SDU Library: Ensures study places on all campuses for immersive study, group work etc.
  • SDU Centre for Teaching and Learning: Supports teachers by offering pedagogical and didactic inspiration for the learning and teaching environments (including inspiration for diversity and inclusion initiatives).
  • SDU Education: Supports the education programmes with knowledge and inspiration for working with the teaching environment.
  • SDU Education: Facilitates the organisation and implementation of the Study Environment Survey and the Danish Student Survey at the University of Southern Denmark.

Operationalisation at the faculties

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

This section is currently under translation.

Resources 

See also:

Last Updated 09.05.2025