Digital Principal of the Year: Karin Stavne, Spyken, Lund

At the Rktorsakademin's annual Competence Festival on Tuesday evening, the Rectors of the Year were awarded in three categories: Innovative, Compassionate and Digital Rector. In the latter category, the winner was Karin Stavne, principal of the municipal school Spyken in Lund.

The jury included Ida Karlberg Gidlund, Head of Operations at the Rectors' Academy, Peter Becker, CEO of Datorn i Utbildningen, Lars Benon, former principal of Globala gymnasiet in Stockholm and yours truly.

The jury's motivation: "As principal, Karin Stavne has worked systematically and purposefully to promote digital skills in her school, both among teachers and students. Karin has created sustainable structures and forms and has built up an active organization around skills development, student influence and collaboration between the school, business and higher education"

Earlier that evening, inspiring lectures were given by Patrick Newell, founder of Tokyo International School, and Joiselle Cunningham, a teacher at KIPP School in Harlem, New York.

KIPP is a chain of more than 100 schools operating in various disadvantaged areas of the United States. They are committed to both academic development and character development. The latter means that both students and teachers are graded on a number of personality parameters: Zest, Grit, Self-contol, Gratitude, Optimism, Love of learning and Leadership.

A variant of the old-fashioned "Order and Behavior"? Hardly, as it is based entirely on the needs and circumstances of the children. Besides, it is the pupils who grade the teachers.

In the photo: Lars Benon, Fredrik von Essen, winner Karin Stavne and Ida Karlberg Gidlund