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Aerial view of the North Campus © Peter Sondermann​/​TU Dortmund

University Council

The University Council advises the Rectorate and supervises its management. Its tasks include in particular:

  • the election of the members of the Rectorate and their deselection
  • approval of the university development plan and the draft target agreement between the university and the state of NRW
  • the approval of the economic plan, the entrepreneurial activities of the university and the assumption of other tasks
  • the statement on the accountability report of the Rectorate and on the evaluation reports
  • opinions on matters of research, art, teaching and studies that affect the entire university or central institutions or are of fundamental importance
  • support to the Rectorate.

Further information on the members of the University Council can be obtained from the Executive Director of the University Council.

Members of the University Council

Portrait photo of Dr. Joann Halpern, member of the University Council. © Nathalie Schüller

Dr. Joann Halpern directs the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Engineering in New York City and is an Adjunct Professor of International Education at New York University. From 2009 to 2017, she was Director of the German Science and Innovation House New York. Throughout her career, she has held teaching and administrative positions at German and American universities. Her connection to TU Dortmund University results, among other things, from her participation in the supervisory board of the UA Ruhr Liaison Office in New York.

A portrait photo of a man in a black suit with a tie. © wilo

Oliver Hermes is chairman and CEO of the Dortmund-based Wilo Group, a multinational technology group and one of the world’s leading premium suppliers of pumps and pump systems for building services, water management and industry. Oliver Hermes studied economics with a focus on East Asia/China in Duisburg and at the Université d’Angers in France. He was then a partner at the auditing and consulting firm KPMG. Since 2006, Oliver Hermes has been working for the Wilo Group, which under his direction has developed into a globally operating billion-dollar group within just a few years. Here he is consistently driving forward the transformation of the Wilo Group into the digital climate protection pioneer of the industry. In addition, Mr. Hermes is, among other things, a member of the Innovation Council of the EUREF Campus Düsseldorf.

Portrait photo of Karin Lochte, member of the university council © M. Buchholz

Karin Lochte is a professor at the University of Bremen. From 2007 to 2017, she was director of the Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung and professor at the University of Bremen. Among other things, she was a member of the Grants Committee of the Excellence Strategy, a member of the German Council of Science and Humanities, a DFG review board member, and is a member of the Senate of the Leibniz Association.

A portrait photo of a man in a suit with a red tie. © Amprion GmbH​/​Frank Peterschröder“

Dr. Hendrik Neumann has been a member of the management board of Amprion GmbH since 2021. As Chief Technical Officer (CTO), he is responsible for asset management, grid projects, offshore, grid system management and occupational safety. He studied electrical engineering at TU Dortmund University, graduating in 2002. In 2007, Hendrik Neumann received his doctorate in engineering from the Chair of Energy Systems and Energy Economics at TU Dortmund University. Hendrik Neumann began his professional career in 2002 as a research assistant at the Chair Energy Systems and Energy Economics at TU Dortmund University. In 2007, he joined Amprion GmbH.

A black and white portrait photo of a woman. Please provide a copyright notice

Elke Niermann is an auditor and tax consultant at audalis Kohler Punge & Partner, where she has been a partner since 1997. She studied economics and social sciences at TU Dortmund University. She is an honorary board member of the Dortmunder Museumsgesellschaft zur Pflege der bildenden Kunst e.V., a member of the board of trustees of the Stiftergemeinschaft der Sparkasse Dortmund and a board member of the Gesellschaft der Freunde der TU Dortmund e.V., among others.

Portrait of a woman © Thorsten Doerk

Isabel Rothe has been president of the Health and Safety Executive since 2007. From 1992 to 2007, she held various management positions in the pharmaceutical industry, most recently as managing director of Jenapharm GmbH & Co. KG. The industrial and organizational psychologist holds several honorary positions, including chairwoman of the board of directors of Stiftung Warentest, member of the board of trustees of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering, and chairwoman of the board of trustees of the AGFJ Familienhilfestiftung.

Portrait photo of Joachim Treusch, Vice-Chairman of the University Council of TU Dortmund University © Oliver Schaper​/​TU Dortmund

Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Joachim Treusch was president of Jacobs University Bremen until 2012. Prior to that, he served on the board of directors of Forschungszentrum Jülich from 1987 to 2006, including a total of 16 years as chairman. From 1971 to 1987, he held the professorship for Theoretical Physics at University of Dortmund of the time. During his career, Prof. Treusch was president of the German Physical Society (1984-86), founding president of the Helmholtz Association (1993-97), president of the  Society of German Natural Scientists and Physicians (1995-96), president of the “Wissenschaft im Dialog” initiative (2000-06), and on the board of the Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Foundation (1993-2020).

Portrait picture of Dr. Johanna Weber in front of a school blackboard. © Wally Pruß

Johanna Weber was Professor of Differential and Personality Psychology and Psychological Diagnostics. She was Rector of the University of Greifswald from 2013 to 2021. In the course of her career, she was, among other things, vice president of the HRK, member of the speaker group of the HRK member group of universities, speaker of the Association of North German Universities, vice president and president of the German Society for Psychology, and DFG review board member. She retired in April 2021.

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