University Two New External Members of the University Council
9 October 2024
Prof. Dr Heike Solga and Joachim Müller-Jung appointed to the governing body from October – Dr Uwe Schroeder-Wildberg becomes chair
The University Council of Ruperto Carola now has two new external members, Prof. Dr Heike Solga and Joachim Müller-Jung. After the Senate of Heidelberg University endorsed their election, the Science Ministry of Baden-Württemberg has announced their appointment as of 1 October 2024. Likewise as of this date, Dr Uwe Schroeder-Wildberg took on the office of chair. The twelve-person University Council has five internal and seven external members, whose respective term lasts three years.
Sociologist Heike Solga has since 2008 been director of the research department “Skill Formation and Labor Markets” at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center and holder of a professorship for sociology with the special focus on work, labor market and employment at Freie Universität Berlin. Before that her research took place from professorial positions at the universities of Göttingen (2005 to 2008) and Leipzig (2004/2005); between 1999 and 2005 she directed a junior research group at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin.
The journalist Joachim Müller-Jung studied biology in Heidelberg and Cologne. Parallel to his degree course, he pushed ahead with science journalism by reporting for agencies, magazines and as a freelancer with the “Kölnische Rundschau”. After a traineeship there starting in 1993, he switched to the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” in 1995 as a journalist in the “Nature and Science” section. In spring 2003 he became section head and since December 2021 he has been part of the team heading the science section of the FAZ and its Sunday paper.
Dr Schroeder-Wildberg, Chair of the Executive Board of the MLP Group, joined the University Council in October last year as an external member and has now become its chair. Those who have withdrawn from the governing body are Prof. Dr Hanns-Peter Knaebel and Dr Cornelia Schu. Prof. Knaebel was appointed to the University Council in October 2012; he held the office of chair from October 2015. For the last nine years – from October 2015 to the end of September this year – Dr Schu contributed to this body as an external member, like Prof. Knaebel.
Besides the Rectorate and the Senate, the University Council is one of the three central governing bodies of Heidelberg University. In accordance with the State Higher Education Act, it bears responsibility for the development of the university, and proposes action to raise its profile and enhance its performance and competitiveness. Its most important tasks include electing the Rector and the Kanzler, deciding on structural and development plans, and adopting the annual accounts of the university and the two medical faculties.