Fabian J. Zitzmann is the new Student Vice-President of the ZU

For one year, Fabian J. Zitzmann will be a full-time and full member of the Rectorate and thus add a student’s perspective. The ZU set up the post of Student Vice-President ten years ago. “The ZU involves its students to an unusual extent in strategic and operative decisions. The Student Vice-Presidentship is proof here of the high demands the institution makes of itself and of its students. Unfortunately, this powerful instrument of student participation is still represented far too infrequently across the range of German universities,” Fabian J. Zitzmann said on the occasion of his appointment. During his period of office, he would like to “expand in tangible fashion the individualization, internationalization and digitalization of the ZU. It is also necessary for the education of our future decision-makers for our processes, structures and offers to be continually reflected on, evaluated and optimized.”

Fabian J. Zitzmann was born in in Weiden in der Oberpfalz and spent his high school years in the same town, in Regensburg and in Stein an der Traun, where he gained his Abitur (school leaving examination) and was distinguished by several awards for his commitment to the school. Since the fall semester of 2015, he has been a student in the bachelor study program Sociology, Politics and Economics with focus on economic science at the ZU.

Apart from his studies, Zitzmann is involved among other matters at the ZU as an advisor for Student Lounge e.V., which networks and supports students and student initiatives by organizing and enabling a variety of leisure activities and cultural events. In addition, he has held numerous honorary positions, politically for example as a member of the FDP Baden-Württemberg Federal State Committee “Education and Science” and deputy chair of programming in the Federal State Association of the Liberal University Group. “For students to be present in the Rectorate with a seat and a vote as an equal member is still highly unusual in German universities. Unfortunately. When the ZU resolved ten years ago to introduce the post of Student Vice-President, this was considered a bold experiment. Today, not only is the absence of this post unthinkable, but it has become a fixed and vital component and trend-setter for the institution. We can only expressly and emphatically recommend it,” said ZU President Prof. Dr. Insa Sjurts on the occasion of the changeover, with thanks to the previous holder of the post, Josefine M. Meibert, for her committed work and with regard to working together with Fabian J. Zitzmann in the Rectorate.

The takeover by the new Student Vice-President also ends the period of office of Josefine M. Meibert, who will be continuing her bachelor studies in economic sciences. “It was a special pleasure for me to initiate and work with others in devising projects in the area of student initiatives, teaching and also research. I would like to thank all those persons and students who have worked with me – for their courage, their ideas and their passion for our University,” was how she summed up her period of office. Josefine M. Meibert was the ninth holder of the post after Said Djamil Werner (2017), Martin Bukies (2016), Hannes Werning (2015), Laura Niemann (2014), Michelle Mallwitz (2013), Nora Schäfer (2012), Lena Schulze-Gabrechten (2011) and Simon Pagany (2010).

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Along with the Student Vice-President Fabian J. Zitzmann, the following are members of the five-person Rectorate of the ZU: President Prof. Dr. Insa Sjurts as the Chair, plus Chancellor Matthias Schmolz, Vice-President of Research Prof. Dr. Josef Wieland and Vice-President of Teaching and Didactics Prof. Dr. Jan Söffner. The tasks of the Rectorate include among other matters the planning of structure and development, further development of research and teaching plus quality assurance.