Pre-University Chemistry MOOC Awarded TU Delft Education Team of the Year 2023

Since 2022, the TU Delft Teaching Academy awards the Education Team Award, an award which grants the winning team €10,000,- to invest in education innovation and further enhance their collaborative efforts. The Education Team Award was established to recognize and reward collaboration within education teams for the betterment of our education at TU Delft. If we are to appropriately appreciate all key areas in academia, namely research, education, impact and leadership, we need to increasingly shift our gaze from individual talent to collective effort. Or, as Rob Mudde, Vice Rector Magnificus at TU Delft, nicely put it during the Education Team Event of 28 September, “we need to move from I to We”. 

This year, the TU Delft Education Team Award was granted to the Pre-University Chemistry MOOC Team. The team received the award from Annoesjka Cabo, Academic Director of the Teaching Academy, during the Education Team Event Award Ceremony. 

Pre-University Chemistry MOOC

The Pre-University Chemistry MOOC Team comprises university teachers, high school teachers, educational and blended learning specialists, and university students. They bring a wealth of knowledge to address the challenges high school students face during the transition to university.

The primary goal of the Pre-University Chemistry MOOC is to empower high school students as they transition to university-level chemistry. This program enhances their confidence in chemical knowledge while introducing them to the exciting world of chemical engineering. Many students encounter chemical engineering concepts for the first time at the university level, and this course effectively fills that knowledge gap.

The MOOC addresses this challenge through three main themes: Energy Transition, Chemistry of Health, and New Materials. By connecting fundamental chemistry to real-world societal challenges, the course inspires a new generation of chemists and chemical engineers. High school lecturers can use this course as supplementary material, helping high school students in making more informed choices and preparing for academic studies related to chemistry. Additionally, university lecturers can utilize the course material to support students who find the transition to academic chemistry teaching challenging.

The Pre-University Chemistry MOOC has a profound impact on students as they journey from high school to university. It enables them to make informed decisions about enrolling in chemistry-oriented academic programs and better prepares them for the academic approach to studying chemistry. The course is accessible online and free of charge, extending its reach to a diverse and international audience.

Drawing from the first run in the academic year 2022-2023, the team is committed to further developing the course, ensuring it remains a valuable resource for future TU Delft students and prospective students worldwide.

#Meet the Pre-University Chemistry MOOC Team: Volkert van Steijn, Cristiano Glessi, Robin de Kruijff, Rienk Eelkema, Laura Janssen, Wilma Elston, Carola van der Muren, Bijoy Bera, Yash Divekar, Cees Breevaart, Stefan van der Griend, Bonny Klop, and Jisca Barbian