The vice-chancellors of the universities of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia met for their annual conference at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences in Kleve. Various aspects relating to ‘staffing’ were on the agenda for discussion.
The rectors of the Universities of Applied Sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia (HAW NRW) meet once a year at an annual conference to discuss experiences, knowledge, challenges and potential solutions relating to a selected key theme, and to seek expert input from external guests. This year, the conference took place at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences in Kleve. The participants, who, as heads of university administration, are responsible for areas including human resources management and administration, focused on the theme of ‘Human Resources’ and discussed, in particular, the key areas of ‘staff development strategies’ and ‘staffing requirements planning and organisational structure development’.
Dr Thoralf Held, Chancellor of the Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences in Jena, spoke as a guest speaker on the importance of staff development as a management task. Using benchmark comparisons, Dr Georg Jongmanns and Dr Harald Gilch from the Higher Education Management Division of the HIS Institute for Higher Education Development e. V. (HIS-HE) used benchmark comparisons to highlight the differences in the staffing structures of higher education institutions and identified current trends and challenges for future development, which are looming in particular due to the impact of digitalisation measures.
Adopting a holistic approach, the vice-chancellors, together with the invited subject matter experts, analysed the influences of societal developments, legal and financial frameworks, and universities’ development aspirations, as well as the individual needs of staff in relation to human resources and organisational development. In doing so, they were able to identify specific options for addressing, as effectively as possible, the identified needs for action concerning the various groups within academic staff and amongst technical and administrative staff. “The annual conference is an important tool not only for us as participants but also for the universities as a whole, facilitating exchange and discussion with experts to advance issues and develop solutions to pressing questions,” said Michael Strotkemper, Chancellor of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences.
The Conference of Chancellors of the HAW NRW (Chancellors’ Conference, KK HAW) is a voluntary association, established in 2001, comprising the chancellors and vice-presidents for financial and human resources management at universities of applied sciences, technical universities, church-run universities and private universities in North Rhine-Westphalia. A permanent specialist group within the KK HAW focuses on the topic of ‘Human Resources, Staff Development and Work 4.0’. Further information can be found at https://fh-kanzler-ag-nrw.de/.
