Dear Professor Roswitha Böhm, culTUre congratulates you on your re-election as Vice-Rector! We would like to take this as an opportunity to look back with you on the past term of office and look to the future.
In 2020, you were the first person to hold the position of Vice-Rector for University Culture at a German university. How did this step come about and do you think it has paid off?

The establishment of the Vice-Rectorate for University Culture was a strategic decision to raise the TUD's profile as an excellent, socially responsible university on the one hand and to strengthen respectful, cooperative cooperation on the other. The aim was to firmly anchor areas of activity such as equality, diversity, health, sustainability and cosmopolitanism in the university structure and promote them in a targeted manner. The creation of a separate Vice-Rectorate and Directorate has proven its worth in this respect: We were able to make central topics visible, bundle them and significantly promote them through our own strategies, considerable third-party funding successes and intensive internal and external collaboration

The term university culture can be defined very broadly. How do you define university culture and what topics does it cover at the TUD?

University culture at the TUD is indeed based on a broad understanding of culture, which refers not only to cultural artifacts, but to the entirety of people's ways of life and behavior, to their social and cultural practices. Our university culture is shaped by our values, attitudes and our interactions with one another. The central questions are: In what kind of environment do we want to learn, teach, research and work together? And how do we actively shape it?

In my view, university culture should be considered holistically as a social practice: equality and diversity, compliance and anti-discrimination, sustainability and the promotion of democracy, health and equal opportunities are all intertwined. These topics form the basis for our goal of assuming societal responsibility as a cosmopolitan, inclusive and sustainable University of Excellence.

What appeals to you about the role of Vice-Rector?

What excites me about this role is that I can actively shape the development of the university together with many committed people. It is a great opportunity to initiate structural changes, take on societal responsibility and promote sustainable transformations. The variety of topics and the opportunity to provide impetus for respectful, open and sustainable cooperation motivate me anew every day.

When you look back on the last five years: What changes have you brought about at the TUD?

We have achieved a lot in the past five years: efficient governance structures have been established, important strategies such as the sustainability strategy, student health management, the "Family-friendly university" action program and the new Equality Concept, which I will mention here as examples, have been developed and are currently being implemented.

Particularly noteworthy is the institutional anchoring of these topics in a separate Directorate and the acquisition of around 2.5 million euros in third-party funding for gender equality, climate protection, the promotion of democracy and health. The close cooperation with stakeholders inside and outside the university was and is a decisive success factor.

Is there a personal highlight that you particularly remember?

That's difficult because there were many formative moments and events, as you've already mentioned. A personal highlight for me was the development and implementation of the "TUD in Dialogue" and "TUD Lectures+" formats, with which we promote a constructive, high-profile dialog between science and society. I am particularly pleased that we have been able to reach over 4,500 people in Dresden and the region and at the same time contribute to strengthening social cohesion.

What do you want to tackle in the new term of office? What goals have you set yourself?

In my new term of office, I would like to strengthen the synergies between university culture and internationalization. This includes expanding international and regional networks, further developing our diversity strategy from an intersectional perspective, promoting a non-discriminatory, health-promoting and participatory environment and strengthening the university's resilience at all levels. I would also like to expand the dialog between the university and society.

What challenges need to be overcome?

We are facing complex challenges: Political and social changes, economic uncertainties, demographic change, the rise of populism and extremism as well as the climate crisis are challenging us. We need to further strengthen the university's resilience, develop innovative funding channels, maintain stable networks and promote a strong community. This requires commitment, the courage to change, the ability to take criticism and a strong, shared set of values in order to remain socially effective and sustainable as a university.

The Prorectorate for University Culture is being expanded to include internationalization. How do the two topics fit together?

University culture and internationalization are closely linked and can promote each other. A lively, cosmopolitan university culture is a prerequisite for successful international cooperation, the recruitment and integration of international students and researchers and the development of global perspectives in research and teaching. Conversely, internationalization brings new impulses, diversity of perspectives and innovations to our university culture.

In the cooperation between internationalization and university culture, we will create synergies to actively combat discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism, strengthen conflict management and promote a cosmopolitan, diversity-sensitive culture of togetherness on our campus.

Do you sometimes miss your work as Chair of French Studies at the Institute of Romance Studies?

That's an important question. Yes, I sometimes miss teaching and research, immersing myself in literature as a space for thinking and facilitation, and above all my team at the Chair and the Center France | Francophonie, with whom I naturally keep in touch. Many of the topics that concern me as Vice-Rector University Culture and Internationalization are also relevant to my work there: Political developments and their critical classification, the confrontation with (racist) stereotypes, the successful shaping of an appreciative, intercultural coexistence. I am always pleased to note the great commitment shown by our researchers, teaching staff and students - and here again I speak for the entire TUD - in areas such as the promotion of democracy and sustainability.

culTUre thanks you very much for the interview and wishes you, as the new (and old) Vice-Rector, all the best for the new legislative period.