Prof Dr Sabine Kunst was elected today in Bonn as the new President of the Turkish-German University Consortium (K-TDU), succeeding Prof Dr Rita Süssmuth. The consortium, which comprises 38 German universities under the auspices of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), supports the expansion of the Turkish-German University (TDU) in Istanbul. 

"I warmly congratulate Sabine Kunst on her election as the new President of the Turkish-German University Consortium. With her extensive experience in science management and science policy, Ms Kunst is a great asset to the consortium and to German-Turkish scientific cooperation. I wish her every success in her future work," said DAAD President Prof Dr Joybrato Mukherjee. 

"In Sabine Kunst, the German university partners of the Turkish-German University in Istanbul are gaining an accomplished and experienced leader who combines sound knowledge and many years of experience in science management with strategic foresight," added DAAD Secretary General Dr Kai Sicks. She will take on the important task of strengthening the further expansion of the university in cooperation with the German universities, providing new impetus for research and teaching and expanding the international visibility of TDU in close cooperation with the Turkish partners. Sabine Kunst will thus make a decisive contribution to the further development of TDU as an example of successful German-Turkish co-operation.

Honour for Rita Süssmuth

"Prof Dr Rita Süssmuth also deserves special recognition for her visionary initiative and unwavering commitment, which contributed significantly to the founding and successful development of TDU," continued Sicks. "On behalf of all the universities involved, I would like to express my sincere thanks and utmost respect to her for this extraordinary commitment . I am very pleased that Mrs Süssmuth will remain associated with TDU as founding president of the consortium." 

Sabine Kunst will chair TDU consortium honorarily for three years. The engineering scientist is Chair of the Board of the Joachim Herz Foundation in Hamburg. Previously, Kunst successfully held various management positions in the German science system and was Minister of Science in the state of Brandenburg.

Rita Süssmuth will continue to closely support the TDU as its founding president. The former President of the Bundestag has been committed to German-Turkish academic cooperation since leaving the Bundestag. 

TDU

The Turkish-German University (TDU) is an important symbol of bilateral educational and scientific cooperation between Germany and Turkey. It was founded in 2008 as a Turkish state university on the basis of a German-Turkish intergovernmental agreement. The university began teaching in 2013 and was officially opened in 2014 as part of the German-Turkish Year of Science. The final expansion of TDU in 2030 is expected to include around 6,200 students in five faculties. Teaching and research at TDU is conducted in German, English and Turkish. The rector of TDU is currently the Turkish Germanist and linguist Prof Dr Cemal Yildiz.

Funding and consortium TDU

The TDU is funded by the DAAD with funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The universities participating in the TDU consortium make an important contribution to the content of the TDU's academic programme and to the teaching of the German language. Turkey bears the costs for infrastructure and ongoing operations. The close integration of teaching, research and intercultural exchange through numerous double degree and Erasmus agreements as well as stays in Germany for young academics strengthen the academic development of TDU. The TDU consortium brings together 38 member universities and the DAAD to promote the university in an independent association.