University of Siegen elects Iris Litty as new chancellor!

University of Siegen elects Iris Litty as new chancellor!

On May 5, 2025, Iris Litty was unanimously elected as the new Chancellor of the University of Siegen in the first round of voting. The election took place as part of the university election assembly, which consists of members of the Senate and the University Council. Iris Litty succeeds Ulf Richter, who will move to the University of Duisburg-Essen on January 1, 2025. With her election, she begins a new chapter in the management of the university.

Her term as Chancellor is eight years and still requires confirmation by the Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW). The search committee had prepared an election proposal in which Iris Litty was proposed for election on a list of one. This clear support for her candidacy shows the trust that university committees have in her abilities.

Presentation and challenges

Before the election, Iris Litty presented herself in a 30-minute talk, followed by a question and answer session that allowed assembly members to hear her vision and attitudes. In her speech, she underlined the university's strengths, such as its regional roots, research strength and diversity of subjects. Nevertheless, she also mentioned challenges, in particular mobility and the university's financial conditions.

One of their major projects is the lighthouse project “Siegen. Knowledge connects”, which is intended to promote cooperation with the city of Siegen. Until she officially takes up her post, Andreas Düngen will act as Chancellor on an interim basis in order to ensure a seamless transition.

Career path and experiences

Iris Litty, born in Bielefeld, is 50 years old, married and mother of an adult son. She received her academic training in law at Bielefeld University, supplemented by an additional qualification as a qualified business lawyer. Before her election as Chancellor of the University of Siegen, she was already Chancellor of the Evangelical University of Rhineland-Westphalia-Lippe (EvH RWL) in Bochum.

Here she took over the position from Heike Schmidtchen on January 1, 2020, who pointed out a seamless handover without any vacancies. During her time at EvH RWL, Litty was able to gain many years of experience at both technical colleges and universities, having previously headed the legal department at the Ruhr University Bochum. Her various positions, including EU officer and research manager, demonstrate her extensive experience in the academic world.

Iris Litty and Heike Schmidtchen have already worked together at universities in the past, which underlines the continuity of their collaboration. Schmidtchen looks back on an exciting time that was characterized by numerous changes in the university landscape and emphasizes that the challenges were always enriching.

With a wealth of experience and a clear focus on the future development of the University of Siegen, Iris Litty is now taking on a key position in the region's academic landscape. Their vision of strong collaboration with the city and their measures to improve the framework conditions for study and research will be of central importance in the coming years.