About us

Max Huber was born in Freiburg in 1937 and studied mathematics and physics. Having acquired his doctoral degree and his qualification as a university lecturer in theoretical physics, he began his career as Assistant Professor at Duke University (USA) in 1966. In 1968/69, he held a Professorship of Theoretical Physics at the University of Heidelberg. He was subsequently appointed to the newly established Chair of Theoretical Physics at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. In 1983, Huber changed to the University of Bonn, becoming Director of its Institute of Theoretical Nuclear Physics. He was also Rector of this institution from 1992 to 1997. Since 1 January 1996, he has been Vice-President of the DAAD, which has since evolved from an organisation for scholarships and the placement of "Lektors" (German language teachers) into the agency for the enhancement of the international dimension in German higher education. Within this period, the programme volume and the number of those supported almost doubled. Today, the DAAD is the largest and financially strongest organisation for international co-operation in higher education and academic exchange world-wide.

Right from the start of his term of office, Professor Huber has made a special effort to enhance the competitiveness of Germany as a study location and to recruit "top brains". Among other things, the founding of a consortium for international higher education marketing known as "GATE Germany" by the DAAD and the Rectors' Conference is associated with his name. Huber is still spokesman for this consortium today.

The new DAAD President, Professor Margret Wintermantel, studied psychology and publishing at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz from 1966 to 1970. In 1972, she first acquired a Dr. rer. nat. degree in psychology before qualifying as a university lecturer in psychology at the University of Heidelberg in 1986. Before being elected President of the HRK in March 2006, Wintermantel had already been HRK Vice-President for Research and Junior Scientists and Scholars and, from 2000 to 2006, President of the University of the Saar. She is also a member of numerous national and international committees.

The new Vice-President, Professor Joybrato Mukherjee, studied English language and literature, biology and educational science at RWTH Aachen from 1992 to 1997. In 2000, he obtained a doctoral degree from the University of Bonn in English linguistics and qualified as a university lecturer in English philology in 2003. Before the then 36-year-old became President of the University of Gießen in December 2009, he had already been Vice Dean of the Department for Languages, Literature and Culture there, as well as First Vice-President from 2008 to 2009.

Last summer, the DAAD Members' Assembly elected 12 further members of the Executive Board in addition to the new President and the new Vice-President who are to assume office on the 1st January 2012 as well.