Since July 1st 2006 the University of Hannover Has a New
Name: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover.

“The discussions have been successful. All the objections, reservations and legal necessities have been clarified, and we are happy to be able to tell you that from July 1st 2006 the University of Hannover will have a new name: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität”, President Prof. Erich Barke announced in a joint statement to the press on June 30th, 2006, together with the Chairman of the Leibniz-Akademie, Dr. Wilfried Prewo.

The birth of the new name coincides with the 360th anniversary of the birth of the allround genius Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who was born in Leipzig on July 1st 1646.

It was possible to overcome all the obstacles in discussions and legal examinations. A cooperation agreement with the Akademie was also signed on June 30th, 2006.

The Leibniz-Akademie and the University of Hannover signed agreements which aim, in particular, at avoiding confusion and at providing students with clear orientation. Both sides want to cooperate to their mutual advantage in various fields, for example in providing information for students about the joint courses on offer and in the improvement of the mutual information and agreement on subjects and classes, above all under the joint heading “Leibniz”. In addition, the agreements foresee the mutual use of resources with the appropriate reimbursement of expenses, and support for the continued development of the Akademie into a university of applied sciences, for which further details are to be worked out in additional discussions and concrete projects.

“Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz represents a great scientific breadth with specific strengths in the fields of engineering and natural science. This fits in excellently with the current profile and further development of our university”, as President Professor Barke stressed.

Dr. Wilfried Prewo stated that there were good reasons for choosing to name the Leibniz-Akademie, which was founded in 1920, after Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, since it was always the concern of the allround genius to combine theory and practice. This combination is marked both by the dual Bachelor’s degree courses and also by the courses on offer at the Leibniz-Akademie Hannover within the field of advanced vocational training while working.

All of the courses on offer at the Leibniz-Akademie take place in cooperative study schemes with numerous businesses. In addition to medium-sized businesses these are, in particular, Continental, TUI, Concordia Versicherungsgruppe and NORD/LB. In the Bachelor’s degree courses 10-week study phases thus alternate with practical phases in businesses lasting between 12 and 14 weeks. The Bachelor’s degree is awarded after three years, and the firm gains employees who are not only schooled in theory, but who are also extremely well acqainted with operational practice and require no further in-house training.

After the renaming as the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover the Presidential Executive Committee and the Senate regard the change as meaning considerably more than merely the exchange of nameplates and letterheads. All those involved in the discussion about the name would like to follow in Leibniz’ footsteps and also fill the new name with life. Some of the measures can already be named, while others are being examined to see if they can be realised. A discussion will take place about the guiding principles at the Leibniz Universität Hannover. A series of events with an accompanying programme which expresses the interdisciplinary nature of Leibniz’ work, the design of a logo, a Leibniz Prize for students who also successfully complete a course of studies outside their own specialist field, and activities of highly different kinds associated with the details of Leibniz’ life are on the agenda. Of course, students in their first semester will get to know Leibniz when they are welcomed to the university. In future the university will participate in activities of others involving life round Leibniz. The exchange of ideas is also sought with existing working groups and initiatives in and around Hannover.

Professor Barke also introduced a new logo in which the “old” University of Hannover remains recognizable. The Presidential Executive Committee and all those involved are well aware that there will be a period of transformation until the name of the Leibniz Universität Hannover becomes visible and can be experienced in its many different forms. Together with everyone else, he hoped that this period would be as short as possible.

Further Information: www.uni-hannover.de/en/universitaet/leibniz

Meldung vom 03.07.2006