20. April 2023 | Press releases:

Full-time Vice President for Digitalisation and Sustainability: Clear vote for Prof. Manfred Krafczyk Senate and University Council confirm recommendation

The Senate and the University Council of Technische Universität Braunschweig have voted with a large majority for Professor Manfred Krafczyk as full-time Vice-President for the newly created department of Digitalisation and Sustainability. In a joint meeting, the recommendation of the search committee was accepted. The recommendation will now be submitted to the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture to nominate or appoint Manfred Krafczyk, Professor of Flow Simulation and Construction Informatics at TU Braunschweig, as full-time Vice President. The term of office of the full-time Vice-President is six years.

Professor Krafczyk brings a wide range of experience and expertise to the department of digitalisation and sustainability. Photo credit: Philipp Arnoldt/TU Braunschweig

For the holistic development on the path to excellence, digitalisation and sustainability are essential fields of action and firmly anchored in the strategic orientation of TU Braunschweig. Due to the importance and the necessary continuity of the two topics, the Senate decided in summer 2022, at the suggestion of the President, to establish a full-time Vice-Presidency for this purpose.

Professor Krafczyk brings a wide range of experience to shaping the department of digitalisation and sustainability, including many years as a member of the various IT committees of TU Braunschweig, whose transformation he has played a key role in shaping. From 2020 to 2022, Professor Manfred Krafczyk was already Vice President for Digitalisation and Technology Transfer, and since 2022 he has been entrusted with the duties of the full-time Vice President for Digitalisation and Sustainability.

Instead of the obligatory bouquet of flowers, President Angela Ittel congratulated Professor Manfred Krafcyzk with a more sustainable repertoire of herbs. Photo credit: Kristina Rottig/TU Braunschweig

“I look forward to the current and future challenges with a mixture of respect and optimism,” says Professor Krafczyk. “The respect is due to the scope and depth of the diverse tasks; the optimism is based on the knowledge that, on the one hand, we work together across departments in a spirit of trust in the Executive Board. On the other hand, there are thousands of highly qualified and motivated employees working at our university who are willing and able to ‘drill thick boards’. I look forward to the many creative ideas of our students, especially in the area of sustainability.“

“Many thanks to the Senate and the University Council, whose vote followed the selection of the high-calibre search committee. I warmly congratulate Professor Manfred Krafczyk and look forward to working with him in the future. His extensive expertise and experience will enable him to shape the new departments for the good of TU Braunschweig,” said President Angela Ittel. “With the election of Professor Krafczyk, the Executive Board‘s team is now excellently positioned for the implementation of our strategic university development concept.”

 About the person

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Manfred Krafczyk is Professor of Flow Simulation and Construction Informatics at the Institute for Computational Modelling in Civil Engineering at TU Braunschweig since 2001. He is a member of numerous national and international commissions and committees and has been involved for more than 20 years. At TU Braunschweig he was, among other things, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences and a member of the Senate.

About the Executive Board

The Executive Board consists of the President Prof. Angela Ittel, the full-time Vice President for Human Resources, Finance and Infrastructure Dietmar Smyrek, the full-time Vice-President for Digitalisation and Sustainability Prof. Manfred Krafczyk and the part-time Vice-Presidents Prof. Knut Baumann (Academic and Student Affairs), Prof. Peter Hecker (Research and Early Career Scientists), Prof. Katja Koch (Organisational Development and Teacher Training), Prof. Arno Kwade (Technology Transfer and Innovation) and Prof. Tatjana Schneider (Internationalisation and Regional Relations). The Executive Board has the task of shaping the development of the university, preparing the decisions of the Senate on development planning and ensuring that the university fulfils its tasks.