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BTU: Gesine Grande re-elected as President – BTU focuses on continuity and profile building

May 7, 2026. The Senate of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) confirmed Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande as President for a second term of office on May 7, 2026. The re-election stands for continuity at the top of the university. At the same time, the decision underlines BTU’s role as a driving force for the transformation of Lusatia. The new term of office will begin in October 2026 following the appointment by Science Minister Manja Schüle and will last six years.

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Prof. Gesine Grande after her re-election as President of BTU. Photo: BTU, Sascha Thor

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Prof. Grande was elected with an absolute majority in the first round of voting. This is the first time since BTU was founded in 2013 that a president has been re-elected for a second term of office. “I am extremely pleased about the broad support from the university and the trust of the Senate,” explains Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande. “The second term of office creates the best conditions for continuing BTU’s successful course together with all our colleagues and our external partners. We still have a lot to do, we have big goals. I will continue to work passionately and with all my energy for our university in the coming years.”

“BTU has visibly raised its profile in recent years and provided important impetus for the region,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Eike Albrecht, Chair of the Senate, and congratulates Prof. Gesine Grande on her re-election. “Prof. Grande has shaped the university with a clear line and great commitment, particularly with her successes in the development of the science location, the profiling of the degree programs and numerous strategic decisions. In her presentation, she convincingly demonstrated how she intends to continue on this course. Ms. Grande knows the BTU and its potential as well as its challenges. This has convinced the Senate, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration.” 

About the person

Prof. Dr. p.h. habil. Gesine Grande, born in 1964, studied psychology at the University of Leipzig, was awarded a doctorate in public health in Bielefeld in 1997 and habilitated at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Leipzig in 2012. She worked as a professor at the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (HTWK) and at the University of Bremen. Before she was elected President of the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg in 2020, she was Rector of the HTWK Leipzig for one term.

Prof. Grande is involved in many different areas, including the GATE-Germany steering committee, the supervisory board of the Leibniz Institute for Innovative Microelectronics (IHP) and Leipziger Messe, as well as on the boards of trustees of various scientific institutions such as the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) and Fraunhofer IPMS. She is Chairwoman of the Lausitz Science Network (LSN) and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Prince Pückler Museum Park and Branitz Castle Foundation and the Max Grünebaum Foundation, whose Board of Trustees she also chairs.

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Further links

👉 www.b-tu.de   

Photo: BTU, Sascha Thor

Contact info

Silicon Saxony

Marketing, Kommunikation und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit

Manfred-von-Ardenne-Ring 20 F

Telefon: +49 351 8925 886

redaktion@silicon-saxony.de