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Münster (upm/hd)
Caption: The University Electoral Assembly voted overwhelmingly for a second term of office for Rector Prof. Johannes Wessels (centre). Prof. Hinnerk Wißmann, the Chair of the Senate, and Dr. Elke Topp, Chair of the Board of Governors, congratulated Wessels on his election.<address>© WWU - Peter Leßmann</address>
Caption: The University Electoral Assembly voted overwhelmingly for a second term of office for Rector Prof. Johannes Wessels (centre). Prof. Hinnerk Wißmann, the Chair of the Senate, and Dr. Elke Topp, Chair of the Board of Governors, congratulated Wessels on his election.
© WWU - Peter Leßmann

Johannes Wessels re-elected overwhelmingly as Rector

University Electoral Assembly votes for second term of office until 2026 / Vice-Rectorates to be elected on 22 April

The old Rector is also the new Rector: with a large majority, the University Electoral Assembly of the University of Münster today (4 February) confirmed Prof. Johannes Wessels in his office as Rector. His second term of office begins on 1 October 2022 and ends on 30 September 2026. "It was not difficult for me to apply a second time, because the office gives me a great deal of pleasure," says Wessels after the vote in the auditorium of the Schloss. "I am particularly looking forward to working constructively with the numerous bodies and committees at the University."

In the 15-minute speech he gave in standing for the office, Wessels sketched out what he saw as the most important topics for his second term. These include for example preparing for the next Excellence competition, the systematic implementation of learning-though-research, a stronger visibility in international research alliances and the continuation of the digitalisation process. It was also important, he said, to "take seriously the fight for the best minds among students." And it was just as important, he added, for the Rectorate, the faculties and the administration to continue to consult closely with one another and together develop and implement their aims.

The speech was followed by a session behind closed doors in which questions were put to the Rector, the members of Assembly debated the candidacy, and a secret ballot was held. In the ballot, there were 24 votes in favour and one vote against. The Board of Governors, the Senate and the Gender Equality Officer had called upon Wessels in October 2021 to announce his candidacy for a further term of office. As a result, it was not necessary to advertise the position of Rector as Wessels was the only candidate.

Half of the University Electoral Assembly consists of members of the Senate, with the other half being made up of members of the University’s Board of Governors. However, only the 23 elected members of the Senate and the five external members of the Board of Governors were entitled to vote. In the coming weeks, Johannes Wessels will plan the exact form of his Rectorate and select the staff for it. On 22 April the University Electoral Assembly will hold elections for the Vice-Rectorates.

Prof. Johannes Wessels:

Prof. Johannes Wessels (59) has been Rector of the University of Münster since October 2016. A native of Bremen, Wessels moved from the Darmstädter Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (Darmstadt Society for Heavy Ion Research) to become Director of the Institute of Nuclear Physics at Münster University. From 2006 and 2010 he was Dean of the Faculty of Physics. The focuses of his research include nuclear and particle physics, particle detectors and medical imaging. Since 2019 he has been a member of the Scientific Policy Committee at the CERN Nuclear Research Centre in Geneva, where, from 2011, he was involved in the ALICE experiment. Wessels is also deputy chairman of the Supervisory Board of the University of Münster.