Professor Alexander Himme and Dr. Fabrice Mielke win KLU Best Teacher Awards

How does it feel to receive an award like this?

Alexander Himme: It’s incredibly rewarding and humbling. Knowing that the recognition comes from students makes it even more meaningful, as it reflects their appreciation for the effort I put into helping them learn and grow.

Fabrice Mielke: I feel deeply honored and grateful. Grateful, that I can inspire so many students and support them in their personal development. Many years of hard work and dedication are valued and recognized by such an award. This makes me feel proud and respected. Thank you very much to KLU and its students. 

Do you have a particular philosophy you apply to your teaching?

Alexander Himme: My philosophy centers around engagement and practicality. I strive to make accounting not just theoretical but applicable to real-world scenarios, ensuring students feel confident in using the knowledge they gain. People think that accounting takes place somewhere in dark back rooms. In contrast to that thinking, I always associate accounting with the reality of students' lives. Furthermore, it is really important to me that I meet each student at their individual knowledge level. This is sometimes tedious, but it's important for the learning journey.

Fabrice Mielke: There are three teaching philosophies I try to apply. First, give the brain space and the ability to reflect. I do regular reflection and mindfulness practices during my teachings. This allows the student to defocus, to calm down and refocus afterwards. This improves learning and memory.

Second, be as interactive and rich in diversity as much as possible. Whenever concentration goes down, I change the task or the activity. I also like to go outside with the class when the weather is okay. Creativity is enhanced by the vastness of the Hamburg harbor in front of the KLU building. 

Third, developing and building collective intelligence. I only know a fraction of what we all know together as a class. Therefore, I try to reduce the power distance to my students. Building trust and openness allows great co-creation. 

What inspires your teaching? 

Alexander Himme: I'm inspired by the potential I see in each student. Watching them grasp complex concepts and become future leaders in their fields motivates me to continuously improve my teaching methods.

Fabrice Mielke: Constant learning. I am addicted to new knowledge. The development of very high-quality podcasts in the recent years is a great source of inspiration for me. Some scholars I like to listen to are for example organizational psychologist Adam Grant or neuroscientist Richard Davidson.  

What do you hope students take away from your courses?

Alexander Himme: I hope they walk away with a strong foundation in accounting (the language of business!), the ability to think critically, and the confidence to apply what they’ve learned in various professional contexts. The better they speak the language of business, the better they are enabled to make good decisions later in the future. I also want them to develop a lifelong passion for learning.

Fabrice Mielke: After my class students are able to know how to build a team and an organization that is more resilient and has the capacity to manage unexpected events better. 

For this we approach three layers. First, the mindset and how mindfulness practices can help to deal with unexpected events from an individual point of view. Second, the culture and how, for example, psychological safety can improve team collaboration in turbulent times. Third, the structure and how for example decisions should be taken by experts and groups instead of assigned hierarchy. 

My students should simply have fun and be engaged. This is when they learn the most.