Kiel University without President: Court stops election due to procedural errors!

Kiel University without President: Court stops election due to procedural errors!

Kiel, Deutschland - The Christian Albrechts University in Kiel (CAU) is facing an unexpected break in the management area. The administrative court in Schleswig has stopped the election of the new president, professor Insa Theesfeld. This means that the university is expected to remain at least half a year without President. The decision of the court has been made due to considerable procedural deficiencies that occurred in the selection process. Loud KN-Online If the competition for the office would have required more than just one candidate.

former president sues

Insa Theesfeld was elected in November 2024 after another candidate withdrawn shortly before the election. Former President Lutz Kipp had also applied for the office and complained against the election because the selection talks of the finding commission were not sufficiently documented and the election was therefore illegal. The selection fell on Theesfeld, although the university statute prescribes at least two applicants. The court made it clear that without documenting the selection process, it could not be understood why Kipp did not get the list of proposals. The finding commission currently does not comment on the allegations and is examining the decision.

reactions from the university community

The situation not only ensures excitement with the university management, but also among the students. The General Student Committee (AStA) supported the finding commission and sharply criticized Kipp. These developments could have serious effects on the future of the university. As a result of the court decision, the CAU now sees three options: file a complaint against the judgment, accept the decision and have new selection talks with the previous applicants or the presidency rewritten. The latter could take up to one year and continue to destabilize the university, as reported by ndr .

University law and regulations

The legal framework for the election at the CAU is anchored in the University Framework Act (HRG), which defines the basics for the university organization in Germany. According to Bildungserver , universities have country-specific regulations that should guarantee a fair and transparent procedure when selecting managers. A violation of these norms is not only legally questionable, but could also shake confidence in the institution itself.

Finally, it remains to be said that the CAU is now facing a pioneering decision. It remains to be seen how the University Community and the responsible bodies will choose to clarify the matter as quickly as possible and to find a suitable leader. Until the decision, it will be a time full of uncertainty and challenges for the university.