Press release: Senate confirms President in office

Nr. 282/2015 - 18.11.2015

Professor Ulrike Beisiegel re-elected for second term commencing on 1 January 2017

(pug) Professor Ulrike Beisiegel will remain President of Göttingen University. The Senate of the University resolved her second term today with an overwhelming majority; the Foundation Committee of the University unanimously confirmed the proposal. Professor Beisiegel has been President of Göttingen University since 1 January 2011. Her eight-year second term commences on 1 January 2017.

The Senate spokesperson, Professor Matthias Schumann, declared: "The Senate of Göttingen University has spoken out with a large majority to elect Professor Beisiegel for another term. This vote allows her to continue applying her experience and conviction to the roadmap set out for the University, particularly in mastering the important tasks ahead and jointly with the University’s workforce. In these endeavours, we wish her much success and all the best."

The chairperson of the Foundation Council, Dr. Wilhelm Krull, stated: “With today's decision to re-appoint Prof. Beisiegel for a second term, we are not only acknowledging the good work she has done for Göttingen University as President, but also are laying key building blocks for the future. By ensuring continuity in the Presidential Board, we are at the same time creating the ideal conditions for achieving further successes in our upcoming competitions – not least within the scope of the Excellence Initiative.“

Prof. Beisiegel: "I would like to express my thanks for the trust placed in me and am greatly looking forward to my second term. My primary focus will be on implementing the University’s strategy and grant applications during the envisaged follow-up phase of the Excellence Initiative."

Ulrike Beisiegel, born in 1952, was given a C3 professorship at the University of Hamburg in 1996. From 2001 to 2010, she was a C4 professor, chair and director of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf. From 2005 to 2010, she was Ombudsperson of the DFG, from 2006 to 2010 Member of the Advisory Board to the German Government and, from 2008 to 2010, Chairperson of the Scientific Commission. Since 2009, she has been a member of the Senate of the Leibniz Association, since 2011 a member of the Senate of the Max Planck Society, since 2012 Vice-President of University Management and Governance of the German Rectors’ Conference, and since 2014 member of the Board of the State University Conference of Lower Saxony. Prof. Beisiegel holds honorary doctorates from the Swedish Umeå University and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.