President Loprieno hands over the baton to Managing Director Herzig-Erler and Provost Auf der Heyde
December 14, 2020
At its meeting today, the Board of Governors of Jacobs University complied with the wish of President Professor Loprieno to transfer the future management of the university to the responsibility of Managing Director Andrea Herzig-Erler and Provost Professor Thomas Auf der Heyde. The Board of Governors, chaired by Bremen Senator Dr. Claudia Schilling, expressed its sincere gratitude for Professor Loprieno's work and the course he has set during a period of transformation and special challenges. As agreed, Loprieno will step down as president of the university on December 31 of this year.
"The Board of Governors thanks Professor Antonio Loprieno for his far-sighted and extraordinary efforts in these troubled times," said Dr. Schilling: "In 2019 Professor Loprieno took office at Jacobs University at a crossroads with the goal of ensuring that a clear and necessary strategic repositioning takes place that paves the way for a sustainable business model. Important steps have been taken to achieve this during Professor Loprieno's tenure."
With the appointment of Provost Professor Thomas Auf der Heyde and Andrea Herzig-Erler to the Managing Board, the necessary personnel decisions were made in the course of this year. As of January 2021, both will continue to lead Jacobs University as joint leaders, shaping the transformation process that has begun and the transition to a new shareholder structure.
"The year 2020 has held many challenges for our staff and students – from the challenges of a COVID-19 pandemic to the announced ending of our partnership with the Jacobs Foundation. I would like to thank all of you for a spirit of cooperation, openness and trust. Without this shared understanding and effort, we would not have been able to successfully maintain our academic offerings, which are unique in Europe, and because of which we were able to welcome over 450 new students to the Jacobs University campus," expressed President Antonio Loprieno in his farewell message to the Jacobs community.