On 01 October 2023, the new Rectorate took up office under the direction of Rector Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee. Among other things, the Rectorate will continue with the cluster proposals as part of the Excellence Strategy and, if the university qualifies for this, will prepare an application for the Excellence University funding line. Other main tasks are the further development of the UoC’s research profiles as well as the degree programmes. The areas of Transfer to Society and Sustainable Development have recently been added.

The new members of the Rectorate are: the medical professor Dr Claus Cursiefen (Vice-Rectorate for Research), the psychologist Professor Dr Susanne Zank (Vice-Rectorate for Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunities), the biochemist Professor Dr Ines Neundorf (Vice-Rectorate for Academic Career and Staff Development), the economist Professor Dr Werner Reinartz (Vice-Rectorate for Transfer to Society) and the lawyer Professor Dr Kirk W. Junker (Vice-Rectorate for Sustainable Development). Professor Dr Beatrix Busse, Anglicist and full-time Vice-Rector for Teaching and Studies, and Chancellor Karsten Gerlof were already members of the previous Rectorate and continue their tenure.

https://portal.uni-koeln.de/en/university/organization/rectorate

Professor Mukherjee would like to thank the previous Rectorate on the occasion of assuming office:

“I would like to thank all the previous members of the Rectorate, in particular my predecessor, Mr Freimuth, for their successful work contributing to the benefit of science and the University of Cologne, not least for the excellent organization of the handing-over of office.”

You can find an interview with Professor Dr Mukherjee here:
https://portal.uni-koeln.de/en/universitaet/aktuell/cologne-university-magazine/unimag-single-view/it-is-important-that-we-all-see-ourselves-as-members-of-the-university

Press and Communications Team:
Elisabeth Hoffmann
+49 221 470 2202
e.hoffmannverw.uni-koeln.de