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University of Bayreuth, Press Release No. 83/2023, 15.06.2023

Sabine Kunst is Chairwoman of the Bayreuth University Council

The University Council of the University of Bayreuth has a new chairperson. Sabine Kunst, former Minister of Science in Brandenburg and former President of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, now heads the body.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sabine Kunst

At the most recent meeting of the University Council in May 2023, the University Council of the University of Bayreuth elected Kunst as its new chairperson. Professor Dr.-lng. habil. Dr. phil. Dr. h.c. Sabine Kunst has been a member of the University Council of the University of Bayreuth since 1 January 2022. She is currently Chair of the Board of the Joachim Herz Foundation. Previously, Kunst was President of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - a post she resigned from at the end of 2021 in protest against the Berlin Higher Education Act. From 2011 to 2015, Kunst was Minister of Science in Brandenburg, and before that President of the University of Potsdam, as well as President of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

"It is an enormous gain for the University of Bayreuth that with Professor Kunst we now have a Chairwoman of the University Council who knows both the academic side and the political dimensions of a university," says University President Prof. Dr. Stefan Leible. Prof. Kunst succeeds Dr. Adalbert Weiß, whose term as chair and member of the University Council ended on 28 February 2023. Weiß stepped down as a member of the University Council after eight years in office, as the maximum term of office had been reached.

Prof. Dr. Andreas Fery joined the University Council of the University of Bayreuth as a new member in March 2023. Prof. Fery Deputy Scientific Director at the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden and Professor of Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials at the Technical University of Dresden, where he heads the Institute of Physical Chemistry and Physics of Polymers.

"I accepted the task of leading the University Council of the University of Bayreuth as chairperson with pleasure," says Prof. Dr. mult. Sabine Kunst. "For this office, I will be able to draw on my experience as university president and on my political experience. I want to support the University Council of the University of Bayreuth with all my strength to continue to develop the successful University of Bayreuth in a positive direction in the future."

About the University Council:

The University Council of the University of Bayreuth consists of seven members from within the University and seven personalities from science, culture, business and professional practice (non-university members). It has the following tasks in particular: Together with the Senate, the University Council elects the President and the four Vice-Presidents and decides on the proposals for the appointment of the Chancellor. The University Council is also consulted within the framework of decisions on the basic regulations of the University of Bayreuth and gives its opinion on the establishment, amendment and cancellation of study programmes as well as on the establishment, amendment or cancellation of academic institutions and operating units by the University Management. At the request of the university management and with the approval of the Senate, the University Council decides on proposals for the division of the university into faculties.

In addition, the University Council acts in an advisory capacity with regard to the strategic development planning of the university. It is consulted prior to the conclusion of university agreements with the state and determines whether the university has achieved the goals set out in these agreements.

It also adopts the corporate budget.

Members of the University Council:

Chair

Professor Dr.-Ing. habil. Dr. phil. Dr. h.c. Sabine Kunst 

Deputy Chair

Professor Dr. Knut Werner Lange, University of Bayreuth, Faculty of Law, Business & Economics, Civil Law V

Members

Members from the University of Bayreuth

  • Karl Vincent Ebert, Student
  • Professor Dr. Lars Grüne, University of Bayreuth, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics & Computer Science
  • Professor Dr. Knut Werner Lange, University of Bayreuth, Faculty of Law, Business & Economics, Civil Law V
  • Felix Mork, student
  • Professor Dr. Gabriela Paule, University of Bayreuth, Faculty of Languages & Literatures, Didactics of German Language & Literature
  • Dr. Steffen Schmidt, University of Bayreuth, Representative of the research associates 
  • Professor Dr. Stefan Schuster, University of Bayreuth, Faculty of Biology, Chemistry & Earth Sciences, Animal Physiology
  • Professor Dr. Birgit Weber, Women’s Representative


Members from of other institutions

  • Stephanie Czerny, Manager at DLD Media GmbH/ Hubert Burda Media and co-founder of the conference Digital Life Design
  • Professor Dr. Andreas Fery, Head of the Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Deputy Scientific Director at IPF Dresden and Professor of Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials at TU Dresden
  • Alexandra Füller, Managing Director of Füller Glastechnologie Vertriebs-GmbH
  • Professor Dr.-Ing. habil. Dr. phil. Dr. h.c. Sabine Kunst, Joachim Herz Foundation
  • Dr. Britta Padberg, Academy of International Affairs NRW, Managing Director of The New Institute in Hamburg
  • Professor Dr. Robert Schlögl, President of the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (AvH), Director of the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society in Berlin and founding director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion in Mülheim a.d. Ruhr
  • Gabriele Zedlmayer, Social Innovator and President of the HypoVereinsbank Women’s Council

Regular guest

Julian Mangels, Bavarian State Ministry for Science and the Arts


Foto zum Download

Jennifer Opel

Jennifer Opel (parental leave)Deputy Press & PR Manager

Phone: +49 (0)921 / 55-5357
E-mail: jennifer.opel@uni-bayreuth.de