Martin Bukies Appointed New Student Vice President
28-year-old Martin Bukies has been appointed new Student Vice President of ZU. Bukies, who does a master program in Politics and Administrative Sciences, will replace Hannes Werning, whose term of office has now ended after a year as scheduled. For one year, Martin Bukies will be a full-time and fully integrated Board Member and will contribute a student perspective on various issues.
"Integrating the student perspective into the management of the university provides a great opportunity that I can find here at ZU, but hardly at any other university: The opportunity that students, as well as the Board, cooperate on a sustainable concept of the university and support this actively", Bukies says about his motives to take on the office as Student Vice President. "I am very much looking forward to getting involved as a link between the students and the Board that actively designs and develops ZU".
In the fall semester 2015, Martin Bukies started his master program in Politics, Administration and International Relations at ZU, which will obviously now be on hold for the duration of his term of office. In line with his first study program, his focus is on the common ground, cooperation, and also the conflict between politics and religion. Born in Oberhausen, Bukies studied philosophy and theology at the Ruhr Universität Bochum, the Universität Wien, the Heythrop College London, and at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster. There he was awarded his degree "Diplom" with a theological thesis on Pascal Mercier´s novel "Night Train to Lisbon". Parallel to his first study program, Bukies completed a dual training as a pastoral caregiver. Study trips have led him to Ireland, Palestine, Egypt, and Brazil. He has made additional practical experience during internships, e.g. at the Caritasverband Freiburg-Stadt e.V., and in the personnel management of Südwestdeutsche Medienholding GmbH.
At ZU, he is fascinated by the friendly atmosphere and the interpersonal relationships, the interdisciplinary discussions bridging business, culture, and politics, and - connected with this - the problem- and solution-oriented searching for answers to relevant contemporary issues. "It is not least the unconventional character and the curiosity that I encounter in both academics and students which keeps my initial enthusiasm alive". During his term of office, Bukies wants to contribute to maintaining and expanding international and regional cooperations, and will be committed to caring even more about the physical and mental health of the student body.
"In the past six years, the Student Vice Presidents have promoted numerous issues and projects both within the university and beyond. For example, initiatives and events such as the student research conference 'ZUfo', the student 'ZU Teaching Award', and the planning and designing of the phase around the start of one´s studies are important building blocks of our university - and all of them have been initiated and developed by Student Vice Presidents", ZU President Professor Dr Insa Sjurts says on the occasion of the transfer of office. She expresses her thanks to Hannes Werning, who has held the office so far, for his impressive work and is looking forward to the cooperation with Martin Bukies on the Board.
The assumption of office by the new Student Vice President at the same time means the end of Hannes Werning´s term of office - he will now continue his master program in Cultural Sciences. "The office of Student Vice President has been the most exciting professional challenge that I have had to face in my life so far", is how he summarizes his term of office. What makes the office so important is the unique possibility to promote and implement projects and strategic issues: "A heartfelt wish has been the founding and further development of the 'LearningNetwork | LeNe', a network that supports refugees and their chances of integration by means of an integrative teaching and learning concept and that tries to enrich and shape the refugee work of the city of Friedrichshafen."
25-year old Hannes Werning was the 6th student to hold this one-year office, after Laura Niemann (2014), Michelle Mallwitz (2013), Nora Schäfer (2012), Lena Schulze-Gabrechten (2011), and Simon Pagany (2010).