On Monday, 21^st September 2020, Prof. Dr. Ursula M. Staudinger was officially inaugurated as the Rector of Technische Universität Dresden with a festive ceremony in the Auditorium Centre of TU Dresden. Due to the current corona pandemic regulations, the number of guests was very limited but members of the university were invited to follow the ceremony online via live stream.  

The inauguration ceremony took place in the presence of the Minister President of the Free State of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, the Saxon Minister of State for Science, Sebastian Gemkow, the Mayor of Dresden, Dirk Hilbert, the rectors of a number of other Saxon colleges and universities, the members of the University Council, the guests of honour, the Extended University Executive Board of TU Dresden and the Deans of TU Dresden, as well as the former incumbents Prof. Achim Mehlhorn and Prof. Hans Müller-Steinhagen. Addressing them both, the new Rector said: "I would like to thank both of you very much for your outstanding work. Alongside the members of the university, you have created an excellent basis for successfully shaping the future of TU Dresden. As a University of Excellence, TU Dresden is one of the leading universities in Germany and is also among the top 200 of 1000 globally ranked universities".

Professor Ursula M. Staudinger assumed the official duties as the Rector of TU Dresden on 18^th August 2020, after having organised her team in the previous months and holding numerous meetings in order to be able to implement her goals from day one. "Bearing the insignia of the Rector of Technische Universität Dresden, I stand before you today in humility, but also with great resolve in consideration of the task that was first assigned to me by the Senate of Technische Universität Dresden and then confirmed by the Minister of State," the new TUD Rector stated at the beginning of her speech. "For me, the gown and the chain of office are less a sign of power than a sign of the responsibility entrusted to me to facilitate the successful further development of TU Dresden and its almost 40,000 members, as well as for the preservation and further development of the campus".

Prof. Staudinger considers an excellent university to include a stronger profile that depicts TU Dresden as a modern employer with a culture of appreciation, transparency, distinctive means of participation as well as efficient structures and processes. At the same time, Prof. Staudinger wants to take advantage of the opportunities offered by digitalisation and diversity at TU Dresden and to cultivate these aspects further.

"The most important goal of my five-year term is to reassert TU Dresden's status of excellence and thus secure the future development of our university. The bolstering of structures and incentives to support interdisciplinarity on equal footing and the trusting and intensive cooperation in the DRESDEN-concept network are an essential starting point for the work in the coming years", says Professor Ursula M. Staudinger. The basis for successful Cluster of Excellence proposals shall be established across all five TU Dresden research priority areas (https://tu-dresden.de/forschung-transfer/forschungsprofil/forschungsprofillinien).

"Of course," says Professor Staudinger, "excellent research must go hand in hand with excellent teaching”. In the coming years, teaching is to be characterised by innovative, hybrid forms of learning and examination, captivating course content, as well as a distinct focus on research and internationalisation. ".

In order to achieve all these goals, it is essential to organise the next Saxon double budget for the core financing of TU Dresden. "Cutbacks in core financing for the next two years will have a detrimental effect on our chances in the next Excellence Competition," said Prof. Staudinger. "The challenge for the elected representatives of the people and the government of the Free State of Saxony will be to set the right priorities in the coming weeks to secure the productivity and innovative strength of the Free State of Saxony despite the financially limited tax revenue opportunities. I wish you the best of luck in this endeavour".

In addition to once again voicing her appreciation for the trust placed in her, the Rector concluded her speech by also addressing the political landscape: "I look forward to the next - joint - steps for TU Dresden, for the institutions of higher education in our federal state, our community and, last but not least, the European and international community.“

Michael Kretschmer, Minister President of the Free State of Saxony:

We need our universities to address the major social issues of our time - climate change, demographic development, social cohesion and securing the economic future. TU Dresden is a good place to prepare young people for these issues. The Free State of Saxony is very serious about the financial requirements for this endeavour. We stand by our promises and want to initiate new processes. Despite the foreseeable financial consequences of the corona pandemic, science will always remain a high priority for us. I am looking forward to working with the new Rector of TU Dresden, Professor Ursula M. Staudinger, who was so convincingly elected to office in the first round of voting.

Gunda Röstel, Chair of the University Council of TU Dresden:

This is the second time that a woman has received the insignia of the highest office of our university. Expectations are high, ranging from the assurance of lasting success in excellence, a teaching institution that is in demand both nationally and internationally, to a university that is an active part of our society. Prof. Staudinger, as an experienced leader in the academic world, established an important stance right from the start - close cooperation with an Extended University Executive Board of outstanding people and the clear objective of a broad cultural and global establishment of TUD. Prof. Staudinger is not only capable of taking up the reins, she will stay on track whilst  covering new ground. The University Council wishes her every success in office.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Niels Modler, Spokesperson for the group of higher education lecturers in the Senate of TU Dresden:

TU Dresden has - especially since the democratic renewal 30 years ago - the special ability to venture off the beaten track. The so-called "Dresden Spirit" is our successful path in the competition for the Excellence Strategy and is now being implanted deeply into our University Culture.

Dr. Uta Bilow, Representative of employees in the Senate of TU Dresden:  

"TU Dresden has about 8,000 employees. Behind this impressive number is a wide range of people, talents, knowledge and motivation. The task of moving TU forward and evolving is a team project. Everyone has to get involved here - and everyone has to be brought along! To achieve this, we need good communication, transparency and appreciative interaction with one another. “

Jana Lintz, Student Member of the Senate of TU Dresden:  

We, as students, are pleased that Prof. Staudinger considers the future of TU Dresden to be more important than the continuation of the Excellence Strategy. For us, a global university of the 21^st century also includes future-orientated teaching, co-determination at all levels, and the intensive engagement with the challenges of our time, such as the climate change.

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