New BSEL President appointed – Professor Dr. Bernd Reissert to lead the Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL)
18 November 2009 In its meeting on Tuesday, 17 November 2009, the Academic Senate at the Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL) appointed Prof. Dr. Bernd Reissert as the University's next President. He is expected to take over from Prof. Dr. Franz Herbert Rieger at the start of the summer semester in 2010 when the incumbent President retires.
Prof. Dr. Bernd Reissert is currently serving as Rector at the University of Applied Labour Studies of the Federal Employment Agency, an office he has held since the university was founded in 2006. Previously, Prof. Dr. Bernd Reissert, who has a doctorate in Economics and Social Sciences, spent twelve years at the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft / HTW Berlin - University of Applied Sciences, including seven years as Dean and Deputy President.
With the appointment of Prof. Dr. Bernd Reissert, the Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL) will be led by a chief executive officer already familiar with Berlin's university landscape and its national and international academic standing. After the announcement, he said: "I am very happy about the decision taken by the university staff and would like to thank them for the trust they have put in me“, adding that he would be placing a main emphasis on further honing the University's international profile.
Since 1 April 2009, the Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL) has had new Bylaws and reformed University Statutes. On this basis, from the summer semester 2010 the present Rectorate will be replaced by a system of university management. Hence, when Prof. Dr. Reissert takes up his position, he will be the first President of the Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL) to work within this new administrative structure.
Incumbent President Prof. Dr. Franz Herbert Rieger congratulated his successor on his appointment. Prof. Dr. Rieger took office in November 2000 after serving four years as the First Vice President and, in this function, decisively driving forward the University's process of internationalisation. During his years as President, Prof. Dr. Rieger has overseen significant changes at the University, including greater differentiation in the study programmes, significantly expanded numbers of students, and the integration of the Berufsakademie Berlin, formerly an independent higher education institution. In April 2009, after long years of negotiations, he also successfully led the merger with the University of Applied Sciences for Administration and Law (FHVR) to create the Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL) which, with nearly 8000 students, is one of Berlin's leading higher education facilities.
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