Ceremonial handover of duties at Düsseldorf UAS – the new President officially takes up her office – demonstration against course fees

(mk) The outgoing Rector of Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Krause, handed over the keys of the office to his successor, Prof. Dr. Brigitte Grass, at an academic ceremony on 30th September 2009 . The new president, who will head the university's management in future, thereby officially took up her office on 1st October 2009 for an initial term of six years.

Numerous companions who have worked with the departing Rector during his term in office of more than six years, professors and staff of the university and guests from the fields of politics, business and culture came together in the extension building on the North campus of Düsseldorf UAS to bid farewell to Prof. Dr. Krause and to welcome Prof. Dr. Grass to the University as President. Also present were some sixty students, although these were not so much interested in the ceremony itself. They rather wanted to vent their displeasure on the subject of a possible renewed discussion on the introduction of course fees taken up in the local press in advance of the management change. They thus saw their chance and interrupted the speeches and words of welcome with some loud jeers. Prof. Dr. Krause, who opened the event as the departing Rector, was nevertheless able to persuade the students, as future academics, to listen to the arguments of speakers, even though these might be unpopular from a student perspective at some points. In consequence, views were subsequently able to be put across more or less without interuption.

The Minister of Innovation, Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart, firstly summarised the challenges which the University had faced in the recent past in his address. He praised the circumspect manner in which Prof. Dr. Krause had dealt with some difficult questions that had arisen in introducing new courses or implementing the university freedom legislation, during which he had been able to create a balance between conflicting interests. The Minister went on to cordially welcome the new President to her office and was confident that Prof. Dr. Grass would live up to the great expectations placed upon her: "She can land hits in the decisive moment and combines elegance with fighting spirit", his words of praise being not only a reference to her sporting successes, but also to the commitment she demonstrated even before taking up office in the issue of places in the NRW grant programme: Twenty sponsors were able to be acquired within the relatively short time of around six weeks.

The chair of the Student Union, Christoph Slominski, also thanked Prof. Dr. Krause for his collaboration in his speech and welcomed Prof. Dr. Grass to her office. He was confident that, despite possible points of dispute, the constructive work process could be set forth in cooperation with the student committees.

The chairman of the University Council, Dr. Dr. h. c. Burkhard Hirsch, lastly wished the departing Rector well in his laudation, and commended his commitment in implementing the Bologna process, the internal changes which had taken place through the personnel and financial autonomy of the universities and the planning of the new facilities on the Derendorf campus. With regard to his successor, he was in no doubt that the trusting collaboration with the University Council would be continued because Prof. Grass "will certainly be aiming for harmony, but is also aware that great persistence is sometimes necessary to achieve this". The leaving certificate was then ceremonially handed over to Prof. Krause and the appointment certificate given to the new President by the chairman of the University Council. In conclusion, the two protagonists of the day finally had the opportunity to address the guests with a few words.

In his résumé, Prof. Dr. Krause looked back on the main developments during his term in office. He went on to not only thank his prorectors, the staff in the Office of the Rector and his colleagues in the faculties, but also recalled the past years university life a little wistfully: "I'm pleased that, as a university teacher, I've had the opportunity of keeping in touch with the needs of the young generation". In particular, he wished his successor all the best for the years to come.

In her maiden speech, Prof. Dr. Grass gave an insight into her plans for the term in office lying before her. She was already able to point to the first successes in the aforesaid grant programmes and cordially thanked those sponsors of grants who were present: "Being able to acquire twenty sonsors in such a short space of time shows what can be achieved by constructive collaboration between all those concerned." The President wants to lay out the cornerstones of the tasks which the future Presidium needs to tackle in a strategy paper by the end of the Winter semester. This will then be discussed and refined with representatives of the faculties and central bodies. These firstly include the further planning for the new facilities on the Derendorf campus, improvements in the study capability of Bachelor courses, an increase in the attractiveness of MINT subjects, especially for women, an expansion of e-Learning activities, a university-wide series of events on the subjects of ethics, social responsibility and sustainability, particularly against the background of the current economic problems, and promoting strategic partnerships with companies and research institutes to raise the topicality of teaching and its relevance to practice. Prof. Dr. Grass was also pleased that Düsseldorf UAS is now one of just a handful of German universities with a double female management team with the President and Vice-president for financial and personnel administration: "If that's not a university on the move! I'm certain that we will all further develop Düsseldorf UAS to make it a modern and attractive University in the heart of Düsseldorf. I'm looking forward to the job in hand!"

The musical backdrop to the ceremony was provided by the Big Band of University of Applied Sciences conducted by Prof. Dr. Hubert Minkenberg. The invited guests had a chance to exchange personal views in a relaxed atmosphere at a standing reception which followed the official event.