Endowed professorship

Endowed professorships, which are financed by a donor for a specific period - usually five years - can be used for the strategic development of key areas.

Donors can be commercial enterprises, private individuals or non-profit funding organizations. Once the financial support from the donor has expired, the professorship can be continued by the university if it is in line with the structural planning.

Endowed professorships have the same rights and obligations as other professorships. They are appointed via a regular appointment procedure and are not bound by the founder's instructions.

Are you interested in endowing a professorship? Find out more!

 Endow a Professorship

Vocational education and training in the digital transformation: Prof. Dr. Dana Bergmann

The endowed professorship "Vocational and business education with a focus on vocational education and training in digital change" is dedicated to researching the challenges associated with digital change for vocational education and training. The main focus is on the possible consequences of change for training companies. Among other things, the IHK hopes that this will provide impetus for the future direction of IHK further training.

Funding period: since 3/2024

A group of seven people standing in front of a yellow building with windows and a decorative portal. The people are dressed in formal clothes and stand in an upright position.
© Hermann Pentermann

Founder

The founders are the DIHK-Gesellschaft für berufliche Bildung - Organisation zur Förderung der IHK-Weiterbildung mbH (DIHK-Bildungs-GmbH) and the IHK Osnabrück - Emsland - Grafschaft Bentheim.

 DIHK-Bildungs-GmbH
 IHK Osnabrück - Emsland - Grafschaft Bentheim
Prof. Dr. Dana Bergmann in a blue blazer in the castle courtyard
© Max Willeke

Appointed: Prof. Dr. Dana Bergmann

The junior professor's research focuses include changes in professional qualification and competence requirements, the design of innovative teaching and learning settings and the qualification of company training and further education staff.

 more information

Machine Learning: Prof. Dr. Tim C. Kietzmann

The endowed professorship in Machine Learning enriches the diverse research in the field of digitalization and AI at Osnabrück University. It illustrates the strong cohesion and excellent networking in the Osnabrück region.

Funding period: 2/2022 - 2/2027

A group of ten people are standing on a staircase in a bright interior. They are smiling and looking at the camera.
© Elena Scholz

Founder

 Kampmann GmbH
 Felix Schoeller Holding GmbH & Co. KG
 Maschinenfabrik Bernard KRONE GmbH & Co. KG
 Georgsmarienhütte Steelworks Foundation
 IHK
 City of Osnabrück
 Osnabrück district
A smiling man with curly brown hair stands in front of a bright yellow façade. He is wearing a white shirt and has a friendly appearance.
© Jens Raddatz

Appointed: Prof. Dr. Tim C. Kietzmann

The brain researcher's research focuses on the interdisciplinary development of neuroscience-inspired methods of machine learning.

 more information

Occupational Dermatology: Prof. Dr. Annika Wilke & Prof. Dr. Christoph Skudlik

The professorship will further expand occupational dermatology prevention research at Osnabrück University.

Funding periods: Prof. Dr. Annika Wilke: 9/2025 - 8/2030, Prof. Dr. Christoph Skudlik: 12/2025 - 8/2030

A large building with the inscription “Dermatology”
© Marc Rocholl

Donor

The professorship, which is unique in Germany, is funded by the non-profit organization which supports the Institute for Interdisciplinary Dermatological Prevention and Rehabilitation at Osnabrück University "iDerm".

 to the iderm
A portrait of a man and a woman
© Jens Raddatz

Appointed: Prof. Dr. Christoph Skudlik & Prof. Dr. Annika Wilke

Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Skudlik 's research focuses on practical relevance with direct interfaces between the care requirements of statutory accident insurance and the further scientific development of prevention and care models in the field of work-related skin diseases.

Prof. Dr. Annika Wilke's research focuses, among other things, on how people with occupational skin diseases can be empowered through health education interventions to carry out their professional activities with healthy skin in the long term.

 more information about Prof. Skudlik
 more information about Prof. Wilke

Professorship Donor Funding period
Semantic Information Systems Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft e. V.  8/2020 - 7/2025
ROSEN Group
Occupational dermatology Non-profit organization which supports the Institute for Interdisciplinary Dermatological Prevention and Rehabilitation at Osnabrück University "iDerm" 5/2015 - 5/2025
Embedded software systems CLAAS KGaA mbH 9/2018 - 8/2023
HARTING AG & Co.
Structural issues in vocational education and training Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce e. V. (DIHK) 9/2017 - 8/2022
DIHK-Bildungs-GmbH
Chinese law Sievert Foundation 5/2015 - 5/2020
Environmental Economics Alexander von Humboldt Foundation 9/2014 - 3/2020
Distributed systems Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft e. V. 3/2012 - 9/2018
CLAAS KGaA mbH

HARTING AG & Co. KG
International Accounting Felix Schöler GmbH 01/2009 - 04/2011
KM Europametall
Karmann GmbH
ZF Lemförder Fahrwerktechnik AG and CoKG
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Sievert AG
Corporate management and corporate accounting Heristo AG 2008-2013
Material flow management German Federal Environmental Foundation 10/2001 - 9/2006