With the appointments of Prof. Dr. Anke Wischmann as Vice President for Teaching and Learning and Prof. Dr. Axel Grimm as Vice President for Digitalization, the Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF) Presidium is now complete. Together with President Prof. Dr. Christiane Hipp, who took office on December 1, 2024, the new leadership team sets the stage for the university’s forward-looking development.

Newly elected: Prof. Dr. Axel Grimm (left) and Prof. Dr. Anke Wischmann (right) with President Prof. Dr. Christiane Hipp. © Rueya Guercan

The EUF Senate elected Anke Wischmann and Axel Grimm during its meeting on December 18, 2024. Their three-year terms will begin on January 1, 2025. Prof. Dr. Iulia-Karin Patrut will continue as Vice President for Research and Knowledge Transfer. Following the election, President Christiane Hipp expressed her optimism for the future:

"Today’s election has laid the foundation for committed and future-oriented collaboration. Together, we aim to further develop Europa-Universität Flensburg as a place that prioritizes innovative ideas, sustainability, and strong collaborative connections in Europe and worldwide."

Prof. Dr. Iulia-Karin Patrut, Prof. Dr. Axel Grimm, Senate Chair Prof. Dr. Berthold H. Hass, Prof. Dr. Anke Wischmann, Chancellor Stephanie Brady, and President Prof. Dr. Christiane Hipp. © Rueya Guercan

Since March 2020, Prof. Dr. Anke Wischmann has been Professor of Educational Science with a focus on Empirical Educational Research at Europa-Universität Flensburg. Previously, she held various academic and teaching positions, including roles as interim professor in Flensburg and Hamburg and as a research associate at the universities of Lüneburg, Oldenburg, and Hamburg. She completed her doctorate on the educational processes of disadvantaged youth in 2010 and her habilitation in Educational Science in 2017. Her research focuses on qualitative educational and biographical studies as well as youth research in education, with a particular emphasis on education and inequality from intersectional and critical race perspectives. "As Vice President for Teaching and Learning, I aim to further develop Europa-Universität Flensburg as a place of innovative, equitable, and participatory learning and teaching," Wischmann said after the election. "Together with students, educators, and staff, we will create future-ready educational opportunities and sustainably strengthen the quality of teaching."

Prof. Dr. Axel Grimm has been Professor of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, and their Didactics at Europa-Universität Flensburg since October 2014, after serving as a junior professor there from 2011. He gained extensive professional experience as a Studienrat teacher at the TIEM Upper Secondary Center in Berlin-Spandau and as a research associate at TU Berlin, where he focused on vocational pedagogy with a specialization in the electrical and metal technology education. He completed his doctorate in 2010 on teacher practices in computer-supported vocational school instruction. His academic career began with a teaching degree in Electrical Engineering and Social Studies at TU Berlin, complemented by additional studies in Computer Science at FU Berlin. "As Vice President for Digitalization, I look forward to driving the digital transformation at Europa-Universität Flensburg and developing innovative solutions for teaching, research, and administration," Grimm emphasized. "Together, we will leverage the opportunities of digitalization to make our university future-proof and sustainable."