Let's honor Manfred Hartl: A life for the University of Eichstätt!

Let's honor Manfred Hartl: A life for the University of Eichstätt!

The Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (KU) mourns the loss of its former administrative director Manfred Hartl, who died at the age of 76. Hartl laid the foundation stone for the university's administration on December 1, 1992 and played a central role in establishing the newly built Faculty of Economics. Under his leadership, not only was the KU's administrative structure expanded, but also a collegial atmosphere was created that promoted collaboration at the university. Hartl was also a passionate music lover and maintained personal contacts with the Wagner family in Bayreuth, which made him a special friend of Richard Wagner's music. He retired in January 2003 for health reasons, but leaves behind a lasting legacy at KU, which will honor his memory, such as ku.de reported.

The KU is known for its committed educational work and recently honored the graduates of its Faculty of Economics. This celebratory event took place in the Ingolstadt City Theater and was organized by the IN-Kontakt alumni association. In his welcoming speech, Professor Jens Hogreve, the KU's vice president for research, emphasized the significant milestone that the degree represents for the students. He encouraged them to actively participate in shaping social change. In an inspiring speech, Sabine Eckhardt from the Boston Consulting Group advised understanding responsibility and actively accepting challenges. The dean of studies, Professor Reinald Koch, handed out special awards to recognize outstanding achievements.

Special awards

The following prizes were awarded during the celebrations:

• Preis für den besten Bachelorabschluss: Robin Aninger
• Preis für den besten Masterabschluss: Alina Hansen
• Preis für die beste Masterarbeit: Christoph Rehrl
• Preis für die beste Dissertation: Alexander Rave

These honors are not only a sign of appreciation, but also underline the quality of the education at the KU's Faculty of Economics donaukurier.de highlights.

The historical context of university development

The Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt is part of a rich historical network of German universities. The roots of German university history go back to the Middle Ages, when universities in Europe, inspired by models from Paris and Bologna, were given the right to award academic degrees. The first German university, Heidelberg, was founded in the late 14th century. The founding of the University of Berlin in 1810, initiated by Wilhelm von Humboldt, represented a turning point that emphasized the importance of the unity of research and teaching and established academic freedom as a key value.

However, the development of universities has never been without challenges. There were different phases in the German higher education system, from elite education to the political upheavals after the Second World War to internationalization and reforms triggered by the Bologna Declaration of 1999. These plans made a decisive contribution to the design of a European higher education area and the introduction of new degrees, such as bpb.de described in detail.

Hartl's work at the KU stands in this historical context, which shows the universities' ongoing development and adaptation to social and economic needs. His contributions will be remembered not only in the leadership but also in the culture he established at KU.