Stockholm university
Department of Biology Education

A man with shoulder-length hair and a beard sits at a desk.
Department of Biology Education

Anders Telenius – plant ecologist at the National Museum

Meet the plant ecologist Anders Telenius, who has worked at universities, colleges and museums. He was for many years director of studies in ecology and in recent years has participated in the Nordic master's program in biodiversity and systematics.

A room that is being renovated. Putty on the walls and scaffolding.
Department of Biology Education

New lecture halls in the D building

Through renovations in BIG's premises in the D building, both a new lecture hall and a new seminar room will be created.

A landscape with an old windmill on the left and a modern wind turbine on the right.
Department of Biology Education

New network for ecologists

"Future ecologists" - that is the working name of BIG's new network in ecology for alumni, students and teachers.

A pile of books. The back is only visible for the top book, which has the title
Department of Biology Education

By heart - for better or for worse

How much do our students learn by heart? This was discussed at BIG's seminar for biology teachers on 3 October. The purpose of the seminar was to discuss the importance of rote knowledge in biology, in relation to the crowding of more and more content in the subject. Six biology teachers and five representatives of BIG participated in the seminar. In addition, two case managers from the Swedish National Agency for Education, both trained teachers, participated.

Stockholm University campus, sign in the foreground and building in the background.
Department of Biology Education

How was start of term?

Compared to autumn 2022: the same number of beginners on Bachelor's programmes but slightly more at Master's level, fewer incoming exchange students but more outgoing ones.

Portait of a woman in white blouse sitting at a desk.
Department of Biology Education

My Lönn new Study Counsellor at BIG

From the start of the autumn semester, My Lönn is new as Study Counsellor for the bachelor's students at BIG.

A Stag beetle on a wooden beam.
Department of Biology Education

The orientation courses are now being reviewed

BIG's orientation courses deal with things as diverse as the world of insects, the biology of the garden and different perspectives on sustainable development. The quality of the courses is now being reviewed.

Corridor with doors into offices. A plant in the foreground.
Department of Biology Education

BIG's office renovations completed

BIG's office has now undergone a total renovation and the staff has moved back to fresh premises.

Corridor with empty bookshelves and moving boxes.
Department of Biology Education

Student office is moving back!

Renovations are done and we are moving back into our old but refurbished rooms.

Close up of a woman in a suit jacket and flowery shawl, appears to be listening or contemplating.
Department of Biology Education

Is species knowledge important?

Yes absolutely! Everyone who attended BIG's seminar for biology teachers on April 26 thought so. The purpose of the seminar was to discuss how much species knowledge a biology teacher needs to know and to provide information about the university's courses in floristics and faunistics for prospective teachers. The seminar was attended by nine teachers – four from the school and five from the university – as well as three representatives of BIG.

White and orange butterfly sitting on a plant with many small yellow flowers.
Department of Biology Education

Completed review for the Master's programme in Biology

How do you ensure that the students on the Master's programme in Biology get a sufficient breadth within the subject? That is the critical question in the university's review of the education.

Ten or so people sitting in a lecture room in discussion.
Department of Biology Education

Network meeting about biology education

As an early sign of spring, biologists in the country usually gather for a meeting in February or March. This year the meeting took place in Linköping on 9 February

Woman pointing to a lecture slide
Department of Biology Education

Genetics in school - classical or molecular?

Genetics usually interests students at school. But how much genetics can be squeezed into the few hours available? And which genetics is most important?

Woman on ladder painting the ceiling with a roller.
Department of Biology Education

Renovation in progress!

The Student Office is getting an upgrade. We are getting new flooring, lights and walls are getting painted.

Group photo of 15 people in blue overalls and hairprotection in a large industrial space.
Department of Biology Education

Study visit AstraZeneca

Lack of microbiologists! This and much more a group of students learnt during a study visit at AstraZeneca.

A man and woman sitting next to eachother listening to someone out of picture.
Department of Biology Education

What does Civis mean for BIG?

The acronym Civis stands for the European Civic University Alliance, a collaboration between European universities that started in October 2019. There were eight universities that formed the alliance, among them Stockholm University. Now the alliance has grown to include eleven universities with a total of almost 600,000 students and employees. The universities that are part of the alliance are listed at the end of this article.

COncrete building with glass doors.
Department of Biology Education

How did start of term go?

It went well, at least for BIG: the entry-level spots on the Bachelor's programmes were filled, many incoming exchange students have arrived, and classes are back on campus.

wooden gavel on brown wooden table
Department of Biology Education

What is the result of the reviews?

Recommendations but no required action - this is the result of the internal review of five of BIG's programmes.

Laptop computer on a table
Department of Biology Education

Hybrid teaching or not?

BIG's Department board have adopted a policy regarding hybrid teaching.

To smiling people sitting oposite eachother at a desk with folders and papers.
Department of Biology Education

Alexandra Balogh new study counsellor

Alexandra Balogh will be the new study counsellor at BIG from 16 May. She will be acting for Lisa Weingartner, who is on leave until June 2023.

Magnifying glas focused on
Department of Biology Education

Five of BIG's programmes reviewed

A number of recommendations but no required measures or further review. This is the suggestion from the group that reviewed five of BIG's programmes.

Student studying in the study collection infront of the primate skeletons
Department of Biology Education

What does a biology teacher need to know?

This is the theme for a series of seminars on the training of biology teachers, which BIG started in the spring of 2021. Birgitta Åkerman and Björn Birgersson took the initiative for the seminars, in which both active biology teachers and a number of representatives from the National Agency for Education and Stockholm University participated. The project is supported by the university's president's funding for quality.

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