Muhammad Ovais Ahmad, Associate Professor of Computer Science, has been appointed the title of Excellent Teacher. He is the first at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science to receive the distinction and the fourth at Karlstad University.
The title Excellent Teacher is appointed to educators who develop their teaching by integrating it with research and who help students understand and think in new ways. For several years, Muhammad Ovais Ahmad has worked to connect his technical research with innovative teaching methods:
“This academic distinction shows how important it is to make complex and abstract systems accessible and inspiring for the next generation of innovators”, he says.
In what ways do you develop your teaching?
“I want to create courses where students solve problems that resemble real-world situations, but it is also important that they develop their methods based on research. The goal is not only for students to learn how to program, but also to understand how to think, analyze, and develop new solutions.”
What does being an Excellent Teacher mean to you?
“In computer science, development moves quickly. This can shift the focus toward technology and content rather than how we teach. This appointment shows that it is possible to combine research, subject expertise and pedagogy. I hope it strengthens the education and makes Karlstad University attractive to students who want to work with digital development”, concludes Muhammad Ovais Ahmad.
What Does Pedagogical Excellence mean?
When a teacher receives this title, it often means that teaching also becomes part of their scholarly work. They systematically examine and develop how students learn and how teaching can be improved.
The pedagogical merit model, in which teachers apply to be recognized as qualified or excellent, has been in place since 2016. Mikael Svanberg, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor (Docent), and Excellent Teacher in History, received the distinction in spring 2024 and was thus the first Excellent Teacher at Karlstad University. Gunilla Carlsson Kvarnlöf, Associate Professor of Chemistry, was appointed the university’s second Excellent Teacher in autumn 2025, Angelica Fredholm, Associate Professor in Nursing was awarded the distinction of Excellent Teacher in January 2026 and recently, Katarina Plank, Associate Professor in Religious Studies, was appointed Excellent Teacher.
The model was introduced by the university to “stimulate quality development of teaching and assessment.” Applicants are evaluated based on a combination of criteria derived from the ESG (Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area) standard on student-centered learning, which also forms the basis for the Swedish Higher Education Authority’s evaluations of higher education.
- Read more about the merit system here:
https://inslaget.kau.se/medarbetare-chef/karriar-och-kompetensutveckling/behorig-eller-meriterad-detaljerna
