"We've got off to a good start, and I think that's brilliant"
Looking back on her first term in office, Prof. Dr Gesine Grande is not just concerned with figures, projects and structural changes. It is also about people, about working together through challenges, about making the right decisions – and about the sense that things have moved forward. Furthermore, she offers some personal insights into what connects her to Lusatia and the people here.
On 7 May 2026, the Academic Senate of the BTU voted by an absolute majority to appoint Gesine Grande as President. On 14 September 2026, Brandenburg’s Minister for Science, Manja Schüle, presented the certificate of appointment. This means the re-elected President can take up her second term of office as scheduled on 1 October 2026.
Gesine Grande is particularly proud of the way the BTU has set its course and made steady progress in its development, as clearly demonstrated, amongst other things, by the rise in student numbers. Among the highlights for the President is the Science Council’s review, which previously required a self-critical assessment and an in-depth examination of achievements and goals, as well as hard work from all those involved. The recognition reflected in the Science Council’s recommendations served both to set the course for the university and to encourage it.
Another important development was the amendment to the Brandenburg Higher Education Act, as it enables the BTU to develop into a university in its own right in future – an opportunity for which the university management has campaigned very vigorously.
Gesine Grande found the collaboration with faculties, committees and supporters both within and outside the BTU to be particularly intense and formative. Even when difficult decisions were necessary in the university’s best interests, the discussions remained constructive. The shared aim was to drive the BTU forward. “And then we saw that it works. Something has emerged which, in my view, has to do with trust.”
She explained her decision to stand for re-election as a matter of course: “I believe we’re only halfway there. To stop now would have felt almost like a betrayal to me.” For her, embarking on this journey represents a sense of sustainability and stability.
Gesine Grande looks forward to her new term of office with “great anticipation”. She sees a wide range of opportunities for the BTU to continue shaping the path it has set out on. The course has been set; now it is a matter of building on that. She explains that she is particularly looking forward to the new Graduate College and the development of the university as a centre of science. “There are such incredibly wonderful, exciting things happening there right now.” New businesses setting up, the development of the Lausitz Science Park in collaboration with the city, and space for science and spin-offs are all prospects with the BTU at their heart. That is the role she envisages for her university and to which she will dedicate herself as President.
As you listen, you can tell that the President feels a strong connection to Lusatia and the region. She emphasises this with a wealth of personal impressions, covering art, culture, nature, people and her favourite spots in Cottbus and Senftenberg.
Listen for yourself. We hope you enjoy it!
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