Rectorate

  Copyright: © Andreas Schmitter

Members of the RWTH Rectorate, from left: Malte Brettel, Matthias Wessling, Sabine Brück-Dürkop, Manfred Nettekoven, Ute Habel, Aloys Krieg and Ulrich Rüdiger.

 

Responsibilities

The Rectorate is the executive governing body of the University. Its various responsibilities are outlined in the NRW Higher Education Act. It manages the University on a day-to-day basis and is responsible for drafting the university development plan, taking into account the development plans of the faculties.

In particular, the Rectorate provides a binding framework for the degree programs offered, the University's key research areas, University organizational matters, and gender mainstreaming policies.

The Rectorate is made up of the Rector, the Chancellor, and five Vice-Rectors. The Rector chairs the Rectorate.

 

Goals

RWTH is developing into a unique interdisciplinary international University that strives for the convergence of knowledge, methods, and insights across the humanities, economics, the engineering sciences, the medical sciences, as well as the natural and life sciences. One of the key pillars of the Rectorate’s strategic planning activities is the institutional strategy that succeeded in the recent Excellence Strategy competition of the German federal and state governments.

Research at RWTH seeks to provide answers to complex questions and problems resulting from the major societal challenges of our time. It is founded on the excellent basic research taking place in the various disciplines and driven by the extensive collaborative activities in eight major research fields, the University's Profile Areas.

Teaching and learning at RWTH is research-led and follows an interdisciplinary, integrative approach; further goals include digitalization and internationalization. Digitalization here means both the integration of this important topic in our degree programs and the provision of digitally-supported learning experiences, which also serve to make teaching and learning more flexible, in particular also for our international students. Against the backdrop of social responsibility, one of our aims is to integrate civic engagement and volunteering activities into our courses of study.

The strategic direction of the University is decided in close coordination with the Board of Governors, the Faculties, and the Strategy Board. Cross-cutting topics such as internationalization, diversity and equal opportunities are considered in all decision-making processes.

 

Principal Responsibilities

The Rectorate has principal responsibility for planning, controlling and coordinating faculty and interdepartmental functions as well as securing adequate allocation of resources for the academic requirements.

The Rectorate drives the strategic development of the University and oversees its implementation. It represents the University both internally and vis-à-vis external partners.

 

The Rectorate Team

The Rectorate is supported in its diverse activities by the Rector's Office team, who are responsible for planning, running and follow up of meetings and appointments of the Rectorate members, among other things. Moreover, the team act as a bridge between the Rectorate and the Central University Administration as well as the Faculties.

 

Members of the Rectorate

Name	Contact
Rector Universitätsprofessor Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h. c. mult. Ulrich Rüdiger	Phone: +49 241 80 94000 rektor@rwth-aachen.de
Chancellor Manfred Nettekoven	Phone: +49 241 80 94010 Kanzler@zhv.rwth-aachen.de
Vice-Rector for Industry and Business Relations Universitätsprofessor Dr. rer. pol. Malte Brettel	Phone: +49 241 80 96359 brettel@rektorat.rwth-aachen.de
Vice-Rector for Human Resources Management and Development Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Sabine Brück-Dürkop	Phone: +49 241 80 94002 brueck@rektorat.rwth-aachen.de
Vice-Rector for International Affairs Universitätsprofessorin Dr. rer. soc. Ute Habel	Phone: +49 241 80 85230 Habel@rektorat.rwth-aachen.de
Vice-Rector for Teaching and Learning Universitätsprofessor Dr. rer. nat. Aloys Krieg	Phone: +49 241 80 94525 krieg@rektorat.rwth-aachen.de
Vice-Rector for Research and Structure Universitätsprofessor Dr.-Ing. Matthias Wessling	Phone: +49 241 80 95470 Prorektor.Struktur@rektorat.rwth-aachen.de