Dr. Ulrich Breuer will take on the position of Goethe University head of administration on July 1, 2023. Breuer currently works in two capacities – as administrative managing director of both the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung [GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research] and the Darmstadt-based Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Europe (FAIR). He succeeds Dr. Albrecht Fester, who is retiring after more than five years as head of administration. Breuer recently signed his employment contract with University President Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff.
“With Ulrich Breuer, we have found someone with many years of diverse leadership experience under his belt, who in various positions throughout his career has successfully managed the business of renowned scientific institutions,” says Goethe University President Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff. “My colleagues and I in the Executive Board are looking forward to working with him. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the different committees and the respective administrative departments for their work in organizing this highly professional selection process in such a speedy manner.”
University Council Chairman Udo Corts welcomed Breuer’s appointment: “I am pleased that Goethe University was able to gain such an experienced, professionally skilled head of administration and scientific affairs manager. The position comes with many challenges; above all else, the new head of administration must plan and help shape the complex and multi-layered developments of an organization as large as Goethe University with the appropriate tools.”
Dr. Ulrich Breuer: “I would like to thank the University Council, the Senate and the Executive Board for the great trust placed in me. I am very happy that I can now apply my many years of experience in science management to further drive the development of this great university and am looking forward to working with the Executive Board. Goethe University is in the midst of a phase of dynamic development, and I would like to offer both advice and support and help shape this process with all my strength and experience. The overarching topics of profile building in research and teaching, internationalization, networking in the region and the Excellence Strategy will all play important roles. In addition, my area of responsibility also encompasses digitalization at all levels, structural development (sustainability, places of learning, modern work environment) as well as the positioning of Goethe University as an attractive employer in a highly competitive (spatial) environment.”
Dr. Ulrich Breuer has served as administrative director of GSI and FAIR since March 2020. Prior to this, he worked at various research institutions as commercial managing director and science manager. Breuer studied physics and earned his doctorate at RWTH Aachen University. He began his professional career in 1991 at Forschungszentrum Jülich, where he initially worked as assistant to the chairman of the board, and then for many years in management positions. In 2005, he became commercial director of the Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin, where he was involved in the merger with Berliner Elektronenspeicherring-Gesellschaft für Synchrotronstrahlung BESSY [Berlin Electron Storage Ring Society for Synchrotron Radiation] and the foundation of Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, where he served as commercial director from 2009 to 2011. From 2012 to 2017, he worked as vice president economics and finance at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). He then took on the position of commercial director at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR).
