President (University of Göttingen)

The University of Göttingen is a research university with a strong international reputation. Founded in 1737 in the spirit of the Enlightenment, it advocates for democracy, tolerance and justice – and for the responsibility of academia, research and science towards society: in publica commoda. With its two independent foundation parts, the University and University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), and its 13 faculties, it covers the broad spectrum of a comprehensive range of subjects, from the natural sciences to the humanities and social sciences to medicine. Around 28,000 students in more than 210 degree programmes, a strong public dialogue and active knowledge transfer characterise its profile. The University of Göttingen is looking for a senior executive with strong leadership qualities to fill the position of President (any gender) as soon as possible. We are looking for a distinguished and accomplished person with relevant leadership experience in the higher education system to strategically develop the University with dedication, commitment and respect for the diversity of our disciplinary cultures. We expect you to shape the future of the University courageously, creatively and with aptitude. You will strengthen research, teaching and learning, transfer and skills development, and anchor the social responsibility of our University visibly in the city as well as nationally and globally. The University's committees and Board of Trustees expect you to work together with the members of the University and the Executive Board of the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) to develop a forward-looking strategy with measures for implementation. Internal university structures and processes need to be modernised and adapted to current standards of compliance and governance in order to increase agility and effectiveness. We expect you to improve the framework conditions in research, teaching and transfer to increase the University’s attractiveness for students and employees, to realise our University’s full potential and to fulfil its social responsibility. Your strengths include: • Leadership experience and expertise in organisational and strategic development, including change and quality management, • clear ideas for an innovative concept for the future of the University to improve the international position of the University as an attractive place for study and research and to strengthen it with regard to transfer and skills development, • proven team player skills combined with a modern, solution-orientated management style that involves all status groups, as well as an explicit interest in promoting students and employees at all career levels by creating attractive career paths in research and teaching as well as higher education management and administration. The President represents the University and the University Foundation both internally and externally, chairs the Presidential Board and sets the guidelines for its work. The Presidential Board is responsible for managing the University, with the exception of the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG). It also manages the business of the Foundation, which acts as employer and is responsible for financial and facility management. The most important tasks of the President include the conceptual development of research, teaching and the other performance-related dimensions of the University, the further enhancement of its national and international academic position and a corresponding appointment strategy, all in cooperation with the Vice Presidents. Close cooperation with the Executive Board of the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) is expected. The President is nominated or appointed by the University Foundation Committee on the recommendation of the Senate. The nomination or appointment is for a fixed-term civil servant position for a term of six years and, if re-elected, for a further eight years or for a corresponding fixed-term employment contract. Anyone who fulfils the requirements of Section 38 of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG) in its current version may be nominated. Remuneration is based on salary group W 3 of the Lower Saxony Salary Regulations (NBesO) plus performance-related pay in accordance with the Lower Saxony University Performance-Related Pay Ordinance (NHLeistBVO), the amount of which is subject to negotiation. The responsibility associated with the position and the size of the University of Göttingen will, of course, be taken into account. The University of Göttingen expressly encourages qualified women to apply. It regards itself as a family-friendly university and promotes the compatibility of career and family. The University is particularly committed to the professional participation of severely disabled employees and therefore welcomes applications from severely disabled people. In the case of equal qualifications, applications from people with severe disabilities are given preference. Information about a disability or equal status must be included in the application in order to safeguard interests. The closing date for applications is 01.03.2026. Applications with the usual documents (CV, list of publications, list of activities in academic self-administration and in academic committees) are requested exclusively electronically to the Chair of the Selection Committee (stiftungsmanagement@uni-goettingen.de). The application should also include your vision and ideas for the strategic development of the University and your ideas on how you see yourself in office, in particular with regard to the concept for the future of the University outlined above and the governance structures. Note: It is planned to employ the services of a recruitment consultancy in the process to fill the position of the President. We would like to point out that the submission of your application constitutes consent under data protection law to the processing of your data by us and the company. You can find more information on the legal basis and use of data in the data protection information sheet (https://www.uni-goettingen.de/hinweisdsgvo) Please note that this job advertisement text is a translation of the official version for the purpose of international publication. The official and legally binding original version was published in German. Wenn Sie sich auf diese Stelle bewerben, erwähnen Sie bitte dass Sie sie auf Universitoxy gesehen haben.

The University of Göttingen is a research university with a strong international reputation. Founded in 1737 in the spirit of the Enlightenment, it advocates for democracy, tolerance and justice – and for the responsibility of academia, research and science towards society: in publica commoda. With its two independent foundation parts, the University and University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), and its 13 faculties, it covers the broad spectrum of a comprehensive range of subjects, from the natural sciences to the humanities and social sciences to medicine. Around 28,000 students in more than 210 degree programmes, a strong public dialogue and active knowledge transfer characterise its profile.

The University of Göttingen is looking for a senior executive with strong leadership qualities to fill the position of

President (any gender)

as soon as possible.

We are looking for a distinguished and accomplished person with relevant leadership experience in the higher education system to strategically develop the University with dedication, commitment and respect for the diversity of our disciplinary cultures. We expect you to shape the future of the University courageously, creatively and with aptitude. You will strengthen research, teaching and learning, transfer and skills development, and anchor the social responsibility of our University visibly in the city as well as nationally and globally.

The University's committees and Board of Trustees expect you to work together with the members of the University and the Executive Board of the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) to develop a forward-looking strategy with measures for implementation. Internal university structures and processes need to be modernised and adapted to current standards of compliance and governance in order to increase agility and effectiveness. We expect you to improve the framework conditions in research, teaching and transfer to increase the University’s attractiveness for students and employees, to realise our University’s full potential and to fulfil its social responsibility.

Your strengths include:
•   Leadership experience and expertise in organisational and strategic development, including change and quality management,
•   clear ideas for an innovative concept for the future of the University to improve the international position of the University as an attractive place for study and research and to strengthen it with regard to transfer and skills development,
•   proven team player skills combined with a modern, solution-orientated management style that involves all status groups, as well as an explicit interest in promoting students and employees at all career levels by creating attractive career paths in research and teaching as well as higher education management and administration.

The President represents the University and the University Foundation both internally and externally, chairs the Presidential Board and sets the guidelines for its work. The Presidential Board is responsible for managing the University, with the exception of the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG). It also manages the business of the Foundation, which acts as employer and is responsible for financial and facility management. The most important tasks of the President include the conceptual development of research, teaching and the other performance-related dimensions of the University, the further enhancement of its national and international academic position and a corresponding appointment strategy, all in cooperation with the Vice Presidents. Close cooperation with the Executive Board of the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) is expected.

The President is nominated or appointed by the University Foundation Committee on the recommendation of the Senate. The nomination or appointment is for a fixed-term civil servant position for a term of six years and, if re-elected, for a further eight years or for a corresponding fixed-term employment contract. Anyone who fulfils the requirements of Section 38 of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG) in its current version may be nominated.

Remuneration is based on salary group W 3 of the Lower Saxony Salary Regulations (NBesO) plus performance-related pay in accordance with the Lower Saxony University Performance-Related Pay Ordinance (NHLeistBVO), the amount of which is subject to negotiation. The responsibility associated with the position and the size of the University of Göttingen will, of course, be taken into account.

The University of Göttingen expressly encourages qualified women to apply. It regards itself as a family-friendly university and promotes the compatibility of career and family. The University is particularly committed to the professional participation of severely disabled employees and therefore welcomes applications from severely disabled people. In the case of equal qualifications, applications from people with severe disabilities are given preference. Information about a disability or equal status must be included in the application in order to safeguard interests.

The closing date for applications is 01.03.2026.

Applications with the usual documents (CV, list of publications, list of activities in academic self-administration and in academic committees) are requested exclusively electronically to the Chair of the Selection Committee (stiftungsmanagement@uni-goettingen.de). The application should also include your vision and ideas for the strategic development of the University and your ideas on how you see yourself in office, in particular with regard to the concept for the future of the University outlined above and the governance structures.

Note:
It is planned to employ the services of a recruitment consultancy in the process to fill the position of the President. We would like to point out that the submission of your application constitutes consent under data protection law to the processing of your data by us and the company. You can find more information on the legal basis and use of data in the data protection information sheet (https://www.uni-goettingen.de/hinweisdsgvo)

Please note that this job advertisement text is a translation of the official version for the purpose of international publication. The official and legally binding original version was published in German.