Minister of Science Tiefensee Officially Appoints New President of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Peter Benz
The handover took place at the Erfurter Ministerium on 28 February 2023. The Thuringian Ministerium für Wirstschaft, Wissenschaft und Digitale Gesellschaft (TMWWDG) published the following announcement:
Incoming Energy from Hong Kong to Weimar- Tiefensee Officially Appoints Peter Benz, New President of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Today, February 28 2023, Minister of Science Tiefensee handed over the presidency of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar to Peter Benz. Benz will take office on 1 March for a term of six years.
His appointment at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar marks a return to his roots: In 1998, Benz graduated from the university with a degree in architecture and later worked here as an artistic staff member. Since 2006, he has worked in Hong Kong, most recently as an associate professor at Hong Kong Baptist University. His research interests include »experiential design«.
The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is well-known for its creative degree programmes and programmes with a technical/architectural focus. Benz combines both of these aspects in his work thanks to his academic experience and professional expertise in the field of »experiential design«. »I am confident that he will be able to successfully increase the integration of the various interests and potential of the faculties and to make the interests and potential even more visible. The over 4,000 students at the university are sure to benefit from this. And this will only add to the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar’s excellent reputation«, said Tiefensee.
Photos: Thomas Müller
»The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar has an established and distinctive reputation, and is already well-positioned to provide clear and applicable solutions to current major global issues. Based on this, I hope that, together with university members, I can contribute to developing a dynamic and modern institution. An institution that fulfils its potential for the greater good of society through scientific and artistic-creative research and practice, as well as through its teaching« Peter Benz elaborated:
»In this sense, I understand my main responsibility to be shaping productive working, research and learning conditions. Students, scientists and artists should come to Weimar so that they can study, research and do things here that they can’t do anywhere else. Developing such a programme and getting it off the ground is what I’m most looking forward to.«
The University Assembly elected Benz as President on 1 November 2022. He succeeds Prof. Dr. Jutta Emes, who was appointed President (interim) of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar in April 2022, and former President Professor Winfried Speitkamp, who is the current State Secretary in the »Thuringian Ministerium für Bildung, Jugend und Sport«.
The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is home to four faculties: Architecture and Urbanism, Bauingenieuwesen (civil engineering), Art and Design, and Media. Th university closely follows in the footsteps of the Bauhaus tradition, which began here in Weimar in 1919.