The candidate proposed by the selection committee was not elected as the new Chancellor by the University of Applied Sciences Rhein-Waal’s electoral assembly on 9 February 2017.
The new Higher Education Act (HG NRW) has been in force since 1 October 2014. On the basis of this Act, the University Electoral Assembly was established on 9 February 2017 as a new body of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences. The main task of the University Electoral Assembly is to elect or remove the members of the Executive Board.
Half of the University Electoral Assembly comprises all members of the Senate and half comprises all members of the University Council. Members of the University Electoral Assembly entitled to vote are all Senate members entitled to vote, as well as the external members of the University Council.
At the inaugural meeting of this new body, the election to fill the post of Chancellor was on the agenda.
The procedure for identifying candidates and conducting the election is governed by the Higher Education Act of North Rhine-Westphalia and the university’s constitution. Accordingly, the preparation of the election was entrusted to a selection committee jointly appointed by the Senate and the University Council, comprising three members from each of the two bodies. In a carefully timed process, the selection committee drew up a list of seven suitable candidates from the applications received. They were invited to interviews with the selection committee, which, following these interviews and intensive discussions, agreed on a list of candidates to be recommended to the University Electoral Assembly, comprising a single candidate.
Having expected a shortlist comprising several candidates, a majority of the Senate members at the University Electoral Assembly did not endorse the Selection Committee’s recommendation, whilst the members of the University Council voted unanimously in favour of the nomination. As a majority in both parts of the University Electoral Assembly is required for an election to take place, the process must now continue with the Selection Committee re-advertising the post of Chancellor.
