Communications and Marketing
Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg has voted: Marion Halfmann is to succeed President Hartmut Ihne in autumn
"Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg is a young, innovative, and research-intensive university. I am very much looking forward to advancing it further with a committed team. This organisational task appeals to me greatly," said the designated university president Halfmann. She not only sees the social transformation with the major future topics of digitalisation and sustainability as challenges, but also attracting new students with an appealing range of courses against the backdrop of demographic change. She also wants to present the university as an attractive employer and offer employees very good working conditions.
Comprehensive selection process
Marion Halfmann was elected by the University Election Assembly on the recommendation of the selection committee. She had previously prevailed in an extensive selection process from a broad field of candidates. The incumbent President, Professor Hartmut Ihne, did not stand for a fourth term of office for reasons of age. The University Election Assembly is made up of members of the University Council and the University Senate.
Knowledgeable, calm, empathic
“Professor Halfmann impressed us with her expert, calm and empathic manner,” said Sylvie Hambloch-Gesinn, Chair of the University Council and Chair of the selection committee. The designated President has several years of experience in the President's Office of a university of applied sciences, she has assumed responsibility for various departments and has taught and researched in Germany and abroad. "She is also at home in practice," emphasised Senate Chair Professor Andreas Gadatsch, who also chairs the University Election Assembly. Hambloch-Gesinn and Gadatsch wished Halfmann a good start and that she would lead H-BRS successfully and strategically focussed through the increasingly challenging university landscape with a steady hand.
Marion Halfmann will be the first woman to head Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg. She succeeds University President Hartmut Ihne, who was among the first to congratulate her after the election and assured her of his support during the transition phase. Ihne has headed the university since 2008 and has successfully developed it over the past 16 years. His term of office ends on 31 October. Before him, the founding rectors Hubert Severin (1995 to 1999) and Wulf Fischer (1999 to 2008) had built up H-BRS.
Studying business administration and business education
Marion Halfmann studied business administration and business education at the University of Cologne, where she also obtained her doctorate. After studying abroad for several months at the University of California in Berkeley (USA), she switched to the business world for a few years, working first as a consultant at a marketing and strategy consultancy and then as a project manager at a management consultancy.
Previously professor at the Hochschule Niederrhein
In April 2004, she was appointed Professor of business administration, in particular marketing, at Cologne University of Applied Sciences. Eight years later, she moved to Hochschule Rhine-Waal in Kleve as Professor of marketing and market-oriented management. For several years, the Langenfeld native was Vice President for Studying, Teaching and Further Education at the internationally orientated university. Halfmann has been Professor of Business Administration, Marketing and Sales at Hochschule Niederrhein since September 2020. There, she is also the President's Office's representative for internationalisation.
Elected for six years - term of office begins in November 2024
Following her appointment by the NRW state government, which has yet to take place, Marion Halfmann will move to her new position on 1 November. Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg currently has around 9,000 students on 41 Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes at its locations in Sankt Augustin, Rheinbach and Hennef, as well as 18 research institutes.
Pressebilder zum Download
The press photos show:
1) Senate Chair Professor Andreas Gadatsch, University Council Chair Sylvie Hambloch-Gesinn, designated University President Marion Halfmann, current University President Hartmut Ihne (from the left)
2) Incumbent and designated successor: Marion Halfmann and Hartmut Ihne
3) Marion Halfmann, designated university president
Photos: Pascal Schröder/H-BRS
Contact
Daniela Greulich
Deputy Head of executive department Communications and Marketing/Press and Public Relations, Press Officer
Location
Sankt Augustin
Room
E 237
Address
Grantham-Allee 20
53757, Sankt Augustin
Telephone
+49 2241 865 641