Supporting our research
Our professors work at the interface between research, politics and society and set the agenda for contemporary public policy debate. They build the link between political actors, fellow experts and our students, the next generation of future leaders.
The Hertie School currently hosts seven endowed chairs, generously supported by a variety of foundations as well as public and private sector organisations.
If you would like to learn more about funding an endowed chair at the Hertie School, please contact our Advancement and Fundraising team.
Current professorships
Prof. Dr. Thurid Hustedt | Funded by Partnerschaft Deutschland - Berater der öffentlichen Hand
The endowed chair “Public Administration and Management” researches in the field of sustainable governance whilst taking into account current trends of digitalization and “cross-changing” (managers moving from the private to the public sector). Comparative administrative research will explore new avenues for the German administrative system and establish best practice examples, with a particular focus on the relationship between politics and administration. In addition, the professorship also examines the effects of current social developments, such as the refugee crisis and the corona crisis, on ministerial management processes.
Prof. Dr. Anita Gohdes | Funded by NXP Semiconductors Germany GmbH
The endowed chair “International and Cyber Security” focuses on governing cyber security, including cyber politics, mobility and data protection. Key research questions of the field are how governmental and private institutions can close cyber security gaps and react to possible (cyber) attacks to prevent cyber-terrorism, as well as how a debate and in-depth analysis around cyber policies and strategies can be facilitated. The goal of this new cyber governance is to cultivate thoughtful, multidisciplinary solutions to complex cyber challenges and to catalyze new policy frameworks to yield better strategic policy decisions and outcomes in Germany, the European Union and the wider European context.
Prof. Dr. Mujaheed Shaikh | Funded by the Robert Bosch Foundation
The health systems of European countries are facing enormous challenges due to demographic development, medical-technological progress and digitalization. The endowed chair “Health Governance”, as well as the closely linked work packages of the NEUSTART project that the Robert Bosch Foundation implemented in cooperation with the Hertie School, therefore examines what a health system of the future could look like, including a new process of developing transnational strategies and policies. To this end, the chair will promote the culture of public debate within the framework of various event formats and strengthen the scientific exchange between representatives from politics, business, science and medical practice on an intersectoral and international level.
Prof. Dr. Ruth Ditlmann | Funded by the Volkswagen-Foundation
The endowed chair “Social Psychology” - the first psychology professorship at a policy school in Europe - aims to reduce prejudice towards immigrants and refugees in Europe and worldwide. To this end, the research explores if and how personal interventions to reduce prejudice can succeed if institutional racism persists. Furthermore, the chair analyses whether restrictive citizenship laws across Europe limit the impact of intergroup contact and how different types of institutional constraints limit personal prejudice-reduction interventions. The ultimate aim is to identify and target the bottlenecks that prevent this full prejudice-reduction effect, and to share the insights with policymakers and the public in order to improve policymaking.
Previous professorships
Prof. Dr. Lion Hirth | Funded by the Karl Schlecht Foundation
The central topic of the endowed chair “Digitalisation and Energy Policy”, both in research and teaching, is the diverse management challenges posed by the energy transition. At all political and administrative levels, from the EU to the municipalities, people are looking for ways to manage the diverse resulting challenges in the best possible way. For this to succeed, new business models, approaches for private-public partnerships and opportunities for citizen participation need to be developed.
Prof. Dr. Julian Wucherpfennig | Funded by the Friede Springer Foundation
The endowed chair “International Affairs and Security” aims to develop an individual research agenda and advancing teaching and public debate on specific security policy topics, such as transatlantic relations, security development and closely related fields like raw material-, energy- or data security. Within this framework, a particular importance is attached to the development of concrete recommendations for existing and new governance structures and institutions.
Prof. Dr. Lukas Graf | Funded by the Dieter Schwarz Foundation
In view of the emerging new challenges for the education system due to demographic changes and the digital revolution, the endowed chair “Educational Governance” aims to test new forms of governance, leadership and management in educational institutions. The vision is to introduce a paradigm shift from a bureaucratic-hierarchical to a cooperative-collegial and client-oriented organisational and management structure of educational institutions, thereby providing the best possible educational opportunities for the upcoming generations of pupils and students.
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