New RWTH Rectorate Starts Term in Office

Current vice-rectors Malte Brettel, Doris Klee and Aloys Krieg continue to serve for a further term. Ute Habel and Matthias Wessling have been appointed new members of the Rectorate.

 

Today, August 1, 2018, the new RWTH Rectorate has started its new term in office. Rector Ernst Schmachtenberg, who led the University between 2008 and 2018, has now been succeeded by Ulrich Rüdiger. Between 2009 and 2018, the physicist, who studied physics and completed his doctorate as well as his habilitation at RWTH, was rector of the University of Konstanz – like RWTH one of Germany’s Universities of Excellence.

As the 51-year old physicist commented, “I am excited to contribute to the further development of a leading university of technology that develops solutions to the global technological and societal challenges within an interdisciplinary research culture.”

Professor Rüdiger will be supported by five vice-rectors who, together with the rector himself and Chancellor Manfred Nettekoven, constitute the University’s leadership team.

Professor Doris Klee will continue to serve for a further term as Vice-Rector for Human Resources Management and Development, Professor Malte Brettel from the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Group will remain Vice-Rector for Industry and Business Relations. Professor Aloys Krieg from Chair of Mathematics A will continue to act as Vice-Rector for Teaching.

Starting August 2018, the executive team will be complemented by Professor Ute Habel, who has been appointed in the newly-created role of Vice-Rector for International Affairs. Since 2011, the professor of Neuropsychological Gender Research has been Rector’s Delegate for the collaboration with USA and Canada.

Professor Matthias Wessling, Chair of Chemical Process Engineering and Vice-Dean for Strategy of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, succeeds Professor Rudolf Mathar in the role of Vice-Rector for Research and Structure. The 66-year old head of the Institute for Theoretical Information Technology, who coordinated the proposal process in the Excellence Initiative, among other activities, has now retired from the Rectorate.