'The University stands for an active and successful interdisciplinary approach to research and teaching and its students are known for their exceptional commitment to social causes which they have proven on many occasions. It is no coincidence that many of our students go on to accept roles of significant responsibility – often in executive positions – throughout the world. Cosmopolitanism and diversity are among our core values, which we have sought to convey to our students. I will do my utmost to strengthen our university's excellent standing across all its disciplines, from theology to sensor technology, and to ensure it will be visible from far beyond the borders of Germany,' said President Carola Jungwirth.
Today also marks the beginning of a new term of office for the three Vice Presidents, Ursula Reutner, Harry Haupt and Rainer Wernsmann, all of whom were re-elected by the University Council on 17 February. The President, the Vice Presidents and the Head of Administration, Dr Andrea Bör, will together constitute the University Directorate for the next two years.
About Professor Carola Jungwirth
Carola Jungwirth graduated from Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, in 1994 with a Diplom degree in Business Administration. This she followed up with doctoral study at Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, which she completed successfully in 1998 and postdoctoral study at the University of Zurich. Having gained her postdoctoral habilitation qualification in 2005, she joined the University of Passau as a Professor of Business Administration later the same year and was offered the Chair of International Management in 2007.
Professor Jungwirth's research interests are centred on regional and international forms of co-operation among companies, specifically cluster initiatives, incentives for participation in clusters and networks, and knowledge transfer. She and her team also examine the internationalisation of small and medium enterprises, which can be expedited and made more efficient when they are engaged in regional networks or clusters.
Carola Jungwirth was Dean of Studies from 2007 to 2010 and Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics from 2012 to 2014. Moreover, she was actively involved in many aspects of University governance as the Women's Representative of the University and as a member of both the Extended University Directorate and the Senate of the University. Since 2014, she has served as the Enterprise Relations Officer of the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics. Wissensinitiative Passau, the subsequent Wissensinitiative WIWI (literally 'knowledge initiative') and the related Enterprise Relations Office of the Faculty, which maintains ties to regional companies, were all founded on her initiative.
Carola Jungwirth was, moreover, a member of the programme committee for the 2015 annual meeting of the German Academic Association for Business Research (VHB). Since 2014, she has served as Co-Chair for both the Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftlicher Fakultätentag (WiSoFT) and the Neuburger Gesprächskreis. Since 2012, Carola Jungwirth has been a member of the board of directors of Wirtschaftsforum der Region Passau (Economic Forum for the Region of Passau). Finally, since 2014 she has been a member of the supervisory board of Caritas der Diözese Passau e.V.
Carola Jungwirth is married with one daughter.
Programme of the inauguration ceremony on Friday, 15 April 2016
Speakers:
Professor Rüdiger Harnisch, Chairman of the Senate of the University
Dr Ludwig Spaenle, MdL, Bavarian State Minister of Education, Science and the Arts
Jürgen Dupper, Head Mayor of the City of Passau
Franz Meyer, Landrat for the district of Passau (invited)
Professor Bernd Grottel, Chairman of the University Council
Celebratory speech:
Professor Ursula Münch, Director of Akademie für Politische Bildung Tutzing
Presentation of the Presidential Chain of Office:
Chairman of the Senate Professor Rüdiger Harnisch
Inaugural speech:
Professor Carola Jungwirth, President of the University of Passau
Music:
Uta Jungwirth, Solo Harpist of the Munich Radio Orchestra
If you wish to attend, we ask that you register beforehand by 8 April by contacting the Media Relations Section by phone: +49 851 509 1439 or e-mail: communication@uni-passau.de. Please also inform us if you intend to conduct an interview, so that the necessary arrangements can be made.
Editors: please address your enquiries to the Media Relations Section, phone: +49 851 509 1439.