New president of Chemnitz University of Technology elected
Extended Senate of the university voted for the engineering scientist Prof. Dr. Arnold van Zyl from Stellenbosch, South Africa
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Prof. Dr. Arnold van Zyl (m.) was elected new president of Chemnitz University of Technology. Election chairman Dr. Eberhard Alles (l.) and, Dr. Peter Seifert, Chairman of the University Council, congratulate. Photo: TU Chemnitz/Wolfgang Schmidt
Prof. Dr. Arnold van Zyl was elected new president of Chemnitz University of Technology on 18 October 2011. 29 of the 51 members of the Extended Senate of the university of whom 48 were present voted in the third ballot for the engineering scientist. Prof. van Zyl has been elected for five years. The second candidate for the leading position at Chemnitz University of Technology, Prof. Dr. Wolfram Hardt, polled 19 votes. The day before, both of them had presented their visions and goals to the members of the university.
With the election of a successor the term of office of the president so far, Prof. Dr. Klaus-Jürgen Matthes ends. Until the confirmation of the new president by the Saxon State Ministry of Science and Arts, the Vice-President for Marketing and International Affairs of Chemnitz University of Technology, Prof. Dr. Cornelia Zanger, will continue the official duties in order. The other Vice-Presidents Prof. Dr. Albrecht Hummel and Prof. Dr. Dietrich R.T. Zahn also remain in office during this time. The university management is completed by chancellor Dr. Eberhard Alles. The date of the official confirmation is not known presently. After that Prof. van Zyl will be the 29th rector during the 175 years of history of Chemnitz University of Technology.
Curriculum vitae: Prof. Dr. Arnold van Zyl
Prof. Dr. Arnold van Zyl, born in 1959, has been Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation at the University of Stellenbosch since 2008. He studied chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and obtained his PhD in engineering in 1987. Afterwards he worked as Post-doctoral Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart, Germany. From 1990 to 2000 he held various leading positions in the R&D-sector of Daimler in Ulm and Brussels. During the period between 2001 and 2007 he represented the European automotive sector at the helm of Northern-American- and European-based advocacy associations. In approval of his commitment and his scientific achievements van Zyl was awarded Honorary Professor of Tongji University, China.
Katharina Thehos
19.10.2011
