The CHE Centre for Higher Education and the weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT again present the “University Manager of the Year” award this year. Six university leaders were nominated for the award by a panel of judges. All the nominees have made an outstanding contribution to the development of their higher education institution (HEI) and have initiated and promoted innovative change processes. They have consistently pursued the expansion of networks and strategic alliances, initiating and enthusiastically cultivating collaborative partnerships across professional, institutional and, in some cases, national boundaries.
The panel of judges has nominated three female and three male finalists from three universities and three universities of applied sciences for the “University Manager of the Year 2023” award:
Professor Dr Tanja Brühl, President of TU Darmstadt Go to brief portrait
Professor Dr Gabriele Gien, President of the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt Go to brief portrait
Professor Dr Thomas F. Hofmann, President of the Technical University of Munich Go to brief portrait
Professor Dr Martin Leitner, President of HM Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences Go to brief portrait
Professor Dr Ulrike Tippe, President of Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau Go to brief portrait
Professor Christof Wolfmaier, President of Esslingen University of Applied Sciences Go to brief portrait
“The facts show that all the nominees have positioned their universities very well and prepared them for the future. A successful mix of leadership, division of labour, participation and open communication also characterises them within the university. What’s more, they are strongly committed to networking for the benefit of their university and the German higher education system as a whole,” commented Professor Dr Frank Ziegele, Executive Director of CHE and member of the jury.
The nominees were selected in a multistage process. HEIs exhibiting especially strong positive development dynamics were identified by carrying out a data-based preselection. In the second selection stage, 30 university managers were questioned about their understanding of leadership. Covering an additional perspective, executive-level colleagues and the chairs of the relevant university councils were asked about their university management’s leadership performance and teamwork. This year’s surveys paid particular attention to the issue of networking. All the results were used by the jury to nominate the six finalists, one of whom was named University Manager of the Year 2023 on 29 November 2023.
The “University Manager of the Year” award was launched in 2008; it has been offered jointly by the weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT and the CHE Centre for Higher Education since 2013. On 30 November 2023, the event “ZEIT für Bildung” will feature “3 1/2 questions put to… the University Manager of the Year 2023”. The award will be presented at the annual ZEIT “Presidents’ Dinner” in Berlin on the eve of the event.