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New Vice President of the DFG: Paderborn woman takes responsibility!
Prof. Dr. Caren Sureth-Sloane from the University of Paderborn will be the new Vice President of the DFG. Term begins in 2026.
New Vice President of the DFG: Paderborn woman takes responsibility!
On July 2, 2025, the German Research Foundation (DFG) elected a new vice president in Hamburg: Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Caren Sureth-Sloane from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Paderborn. She will begin her four-year term on January 1, 2026, succeeding outgoing Vice President Matthias Koenig, who has made significant contributions to European science policy.
The DFG is the largest research funding organization and central self-governing institution for science in Germany. Your Executive Board, Prof. Dr. Katja Becker, who is president and ten vice-presidents, plays a crucial role in the strategic and conceptual direction of the DFG.
Background on the new vice president
Caren Sureth-Sloane, who has held a professorship in business administration, particularly in business taxation, at the University of Paderborn since 2004, is particularly suitable for this position due to her extensive experience in research and teaching. Her research focuses on the effects of taxation on business decisions, international corporate taxation and tax complexity. She is also the spokesperson for the Collaborative Research Center TRR 266 “Accounting for Transparency”.
From 2020 to 2021, Sureth-Sloane was a member of the DFG Economics Review Board and has been part of the DFG Senate since 2021, from which she will leave soon after her election to the Presidium. She also participated in an important interdisciplinary panel on pandemic research at the DFG.
Important decisions in the DFG Executive Board
The Executive Board of the DFG not only develops the organization's strategic direction, but also prepares key decisions that affect Germany's scientific landscape. In this newly formed management structure, Prof. Dr. Karin Jacobs and Prof. Dr. Peter H. Seeberger was re-elected as Vice President for a second term. Jacobs, Professor of Experimental Physics at Saarland University, and Seeberger, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces Research, bring valuable experience to the DFG.
With this choice, the DFG not only focused on continuity, but also on innovation in order to master the challenges of a rapidly changing scientific landscape. The DFG Executive Board includes experts from various disciplines, including lawyers and engineers, who cover a wide range of scientific issues. The vice presidents represent the president in her absence and are significantly involved in the discussion and implementation of funding strategies.
Research system in Germany
The DFG's role as a leading organization is supported by the structure of research organizations in Germany, which are characterized by various institutional financing models. These organizations, such as the Max Planck Society, the Helmholtz Association or the Fraunhofer Society, work in an interdisciplinary manner and contribute to the promotion of young scientists. The DFG itself is at the forefront by funding innovative research approaches and providing central support structures that further advance research in Germany.
The election of Prof. Sureth-Sloane will increase the focus on the interfaces of business, taxation and transparency in research and practice, which is crucial not only for science but also for society.