Rector Wiegand-Hoffmeister remains at Wismar University!

Rector Wiegand-Hoffmeister remains at Wismar University!

Professor Dr. Bodo Wiegand-Hoffmeister remains rector of Wismar University. This was decided on July 10, 2025 at the meeting of the Fifth Enlarged Senate. The rector, who has been at the helm of the university since 2014, can enjoy the trust of the Senate members and will begin his third term in office in February 2026. Wiegand-Hoffmeister convinced his colleagues and successfully prevailed against an external applicant. The preservation and further development of university offerings are the central goals of his future term of office.

A look at the background: Wiegand-Hoffmeister, who was born in Essen, studied law and philosophy at the Ruhr University in Bochum and passed his first state examination in law in Düsseldorf in 1991. His professional journey took him from the University of Rostock through various positions in the public service to his current role as rector of the University of Wismar. He was also, among other things, director of the University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration and President of the Rectors' Conference of the Universities of Applied Sciences for the Public Service in 2011. During his term of office, Wiegand-Hoffmeister successfully led the university through the challenges of the pandemic and advocated for the use of the income from WINGS GmbH.

New momentum for the university

With Wiegand-Hoffmeister, the student Emelie Gareis, 24 years old, will also be represented in the management of the university. This involvement of students in the decision-making processes is a positive signal for the entire university. There are also personnel changes: two new professors will be appointed to the University of Wismar, while five lecturers will move to the University of Greifswald.

With the renewal of his term of office and the announced changes, Wiegand-Hoffmeister is faced with the challenge of further strengthening Wismar University and ensuring its competitiveness on the education market. The rector is appointed by Bettina Martin, Minister for Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs of the State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Their decision will seal the official start of his new term on February 1, 2026.

In addition, Wismar University uses Matomo for statistical web analysis to improve the user experience for visitors. All data is collected anonymously to ensure the protection of personal data. Users can decide for themselves whether their interactions should be saved, which enables transparent handling and adjustment of data protection settings. Further details can be found on the university's data protection page.

In summary, Wiegand-Hoffmeister has retained a good knack for the further development of Wismar University and is facing an exciting new term of office full of opportunities and challenges. You can find more information about the election and the new rector on NDR, idw-online and the Wismar University of Applied Sciences.