On 25 June 2025, Dr Annett Schmeck was elected as the new Chancellor of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences. Following her appointment, she will succeed Michael Strotkemper, who is leaving the university shortly before the end of his eight-year term of office. As Chancellor, she will head the university administration, be responsible for the budget and act as line manager for the approximately 260 staff members in the technical and administrative departments.
The President of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen, is looking forward to working with the new member of the Executive Board: “In Dr Schmeck, we have selected an excellent candidate who has many years’ experience in senior roles within the higher education sector. I am confident that she will tackle the current challenges competently and develop viable solutions. Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences will benefit from this in the coming years.”
Since 2019, Dr Annett Schmeck has been Head of the Faculty of Philosophy and Educational Science at Ruhr University Bochum. Prior to this, she worked first as a research assistant at the University of Duisburg-Essen and subsequently as a project manager at Stiftung Mercator GmbH in Essen. A native of Essen, she studied psychology (Diplom) at Ruhr University Bochum and obtained her PhD from the University of Duisburg-Essen. She is married and has two children.
Election procedure
The University Electoral Assembly is responsible for electing all members of the Executive Board. Half of its membership consists of all members of the Senate, and the other half of all members of the University Council. The eighth meeting of the University Electoral Assembly of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences on 25 June 2025 was convened to elect a Chancellor. The meeting began at 5.00 pm in Lecture Theatre 1 on the Kleve campus and was open to the university community.
In preparation for the election, the Senate and the University Council had each appointed four members to a selection committee back in autumn 2024. This committee organised the call for applications, conducted the selection process and has now presented its recommendation to the University Electoral Assembly.
“I am particularly pleased that the University Electoral Assembly has followed the Selection Committee’s proposal and elected Dr Schmeck as the new Chancellor of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences,” said the Committee Chair, Prof. Dr Matthias Reintjes. The next step is for Dr Schmeck to be appointed by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW NRW).
