New Vice-Presidents at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Professor Dr Ulf Leser and Professor Dr Beate Lütke took up their new posts on 1 October 2026
Prof. Ulf Leser is responsible for the Research portfolio, whilst Prof. Beate Lütke is responsible for the Teaching and Student Affairs portfolio. The HU Council elected both of them on 28 April 2026. They succeed Prof. Dr Claudia Mareis, who had taken over the Research portfolio on an interim basis, and Prof. Dr Niels Pinkwart, who had been responsible for the Teaching and Student Affairs portfolio.
Ulf Leser: Supporting researchers
Ulf Leser has been Professor of Knowledge Management in Bioinformatics at HU since 2002. Most recently, he served as spokesperson for the FONDA Collaborative Research Centre, deputy spokesperson for the ‘Computation in Cancer’ Research Training Group, and Vice-Dean for Research in the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.
As Vice-President, he wishes to focus his efforts on supporting researchers across all faculties in applying for projects that build institutional capacity, establishing new forms of funding – particularly at postdoctoral level – and working to ensure that providing all the university’s researchers with early training in key cross-cutting topics, such as ‘good scientific practice’ and optimal supervisory support.
Beate Lütke: Further developing teaching
Beate Lütke has been Professor of German Language Didactics and German as a Second Language at HU since 2016 and was previously Dean of the Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies. In her new role, she aims to shape structural, curricular and digital developments in teaching and student studies in a way that is sustainable and equitable. In addition, the quality of teaching is to be systematically enhanced and the HU campus further developed as an open, internationally connected place of learning and exchange. This will provide students with greater visibility, a stronger link to their future careers and a diverse range of spaces for learning and exchange.
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HU press release, 5 October 2026