Brettel to Step Down From Vice-Rector Position

After consulting with the Rectorate, Professor Malte Brettel is now announcing he will step down from his position as vice-rector for industry and business relations.

In addition to his professorial position, he has served as vice-rector since 2012 with many major accomplishments under his belt. Besides his influence on the University's successful Excellence Strategy, it was under his leadership that the University won the Excellence Start-up Center (ESC) competition, established a strong spin-off network, and founded the Collective Incubator. These successes show that startups have become an incredibly significant topic. Dedication to this area with its growing demands and continued commitment to the vice-rector for industry and business relations position is no longer feasible.

In view of the University’s upcoming challenges of further advancing the topics of entrepreneurship as well as the significant developments on campus, including the expansion areas of Melaten and Westbahnhof, RWTH will now reposition itself in this area. Here, it is important to be able to make innovations available to society faster in line with the first-to-market principle.

Brettel will continue to be a key figure in helping to ensure a structure and culture that facilitates and promotes startups. Since this requires intense focus at present, it is not feasible to also fulfill the many tasks of the vice-rector position. As Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Brettel will continue to contribute his strengths, while the relevant University committees will discuss potential changes to the vice-rector positions, with the upcoming retirement of Vice-Rector for Teaching and Learning Professor Aloys Krieg also being taken into consideration.