Obergfell becomes the new chairwoman of the Saxony State Rectors' Conference!

Obergfell becomes the new chairwoman of the Saxony State Rectors' Conference!

On June 12, 2025, Prof. Dr. Eva Inés Obergfell elected as the new chairwoman of the Saxony State Rectors' Conference (LRK). This election, which indicates great confidence among Saxon university management in their science policy competence, will come into force on July 1, 2025. Prof. Obergfell, who has been a member of the LRK since 2022 and Rector of the University of Leipzig, brings a wealth of experience and commitment to the new position. Her election as chairwoman complements her role in the German U15 university association, which brings together the fifteen most research-intensive universities in Germany, which she introduced to the board in 2023.

In her speech, Prof. Obergfell thanked the previous chairman, Prof. Dr. Klaus-Dieter Barbknecht, for the constructive cooperation. She emphasized the importance of university autonomy and the necessary further development of Saxony as a science location. The positions of the deputy chairs will remain unchanged until November 2026, with Prof. Dr. Alexander Kratzsch is responsible for universities of applied sciences and Ms. Agnes Wegner is responsible for art universities.

Important developments in higher education policy in Saxony

The election of Prof. Obergfell takes place in a dynamic context of Saxon university policy, which is characterized by various initiatives. The “Startup Campus Alliance” was founded on April 9, 2025 with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship and start-up culture in Central Germany. Furthermore, on March 10, 2025, the LRK Saxony signed an open letter to strengthen European research funding, which illustrates the growing importance of this topic in higher education policy.

Other important measures and campaigns have also been launched recently. For example, the LRK Saxony launched the “#GoVote” campaign on January 24, 2025 to mobilize members of Saxon universities to take part in the federal election on February 23, 2025. Another important aspect, however, is the secure legal framework that is necessary for the positive development of universities, including the changes to the Higher Education Act passed on May 31, 2023.

• Eröffnung eines Saxon Liaison Office in Chennai, Indien am 25. Oktober 2024.
• Stärkung der Zusammenarbeit zwischen Universitäten und Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften im Bereich der Promotionen am 6. Dezember 2024.
• Begrüßung der Wiederberufung von Sebastian Gemkow als Staatsminister für Wissenschaft, Kultur und Tourismus am 19. Dezember 2024.

The universities in Saxony are characterized not only by a high level of research activity, but also by the promotion of diversity and inclusion. To this end, innovative approaches are consulted that strengthen collaboration across disciplines, age, gender and origin. Numerous projects and start-ups emerge in this creative environment. These developments are supported by the University of Excellence TU Dresden and other institutions in order to further intensify cutting-edge research in Saxony.

Overall, the choice of Prof. Dr. Eva Inés Obergfell and the numerous initiatives of the LRK Saxony reflect the active will to promote a strong and innovative university system that keeps pace with future challenges in science policy. The positive direction in which Saxony's university policy is developing illustrates the committed efforts of everyone involved to further strengthen Saxony as a science location and to remain internationally competitive. Saxon universities are ready to tackle these challenges with creativity and determination.