• IU welcomes Frank Weise, Prof. Dr. Tobias Bonhoeffer, Raffaela Rein, Lucy Stonehill and Jimmy Wales as board members.
• The distinguished group of experts from science, business and politics share IU’s vision for future-oriented higher education, promoting educational equality and the key qualifications of tomorrow.
• The advisory board members will accompany IU on its way to becoming a leading global education provider.
• The first advisory board meeting took place yesterday on 30 June 2022.

Erfurt, 01 July 2022. IU International University of Applied Sciences is strengthening itself with a newly constituted advisory board, to support its mission: providing education that is accessible for all through digitalised, personalised learning to impart the skills that will be key tomorrow. The advisory board of Germany's largest university will include outstanding thought leaders from science, business and politics: Frank Weise, former Chairman of the Board of the Federal Employment Agency in Germany, Prof. Dr. Tobias Bonhoeffer, neurobiologist and researcher of learning processes Raffaela Rein and Lucy Stonehill, entrepreneurs in the field of digital education, and Jimmy Wales, co-founder of the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia (for further information about the advisory board members, please refer to the Appendix). 

(Update: Since September 2023, Sascha Lobo, digital expert and bestselling author, is also a member of IU's Advisory Board, since July 2026, Dr Frank Appel, External Vice-President of the Max Planck Society as well as Chair of the Supervisory Boards of Deutsche Telekom AG and RWE.)

Strategic support for a global education mission 
With the expertise and diverse experience of its members in central strategic fields of IU, the advisory board will comprehensively advise the university in its further development – including the strategic orientation of IU, its study formats and the university’s global growth. IU's goal is to further expand its creative power as a driver of progressive higher education both in Germany and internationally and to establish itself as a globally relevant provider of digital education (EdTech). Frank Weise will chair the IU Advisory Board. This was decided by the members at yesterday’s constituent meeting of the board. 

"IU has set itself the goal of nothing less than the education of the future, thereby addressing one of the fundamental questions of our time – for society as a whole and for each and every one of us. The technology-driven transformation of our economies will only be successful if we provide the right offers for all our talents to learn throughout their lives. In order to stay together as a society, we must ensure that everyone has a fair chance to achieve social participation through education. The IU already offers many convincing answers to this. Together with my colleagues on the advisory board, I look forward to supporting them on their further journey," says Frank Weise.

Digital innovation for new educational opportunities 
At the state-approved IU International University of Applied Sciences, students can learn in a self-determined way – when, where and how it suits their personal needs and possibilities – with the help of a digitally supported learning environment. This is made possible by specially developed proprietary platforms such as the virtual campus and the IU Learn App. Many IU students would not be able to study at a traditional university, as they are dependent on income from their employment, for example, or on maximum time flexibility due to family commitments. At IU, students can choose from a variety of study models, combine online and face-to-face courses and customise their study content. IU's proprietary teaching and learning platform sets standards with its end-to-end digitalisation from content creation to delivery. At the same time, IU is pushing ahead with its continuous further development, increasingly also relying on the integration of artificial intelligence in order to meet individual educational needs even better and to enable optimal learning experiences and results. 

Dr. Sven Schütt, CEO of IU: "At IU, we rely on technological advancement to fulfil a deeply human purpose: to enable each and every one to grow and develop individual talents. This shared mission makes us strong as a team; our success as EdTech-innovators thrives on creativity, diversity of perspectives and mutual inspiration. That's why I'm particularly glad that we've been able to attract such bright minds and inspiring personalities from many different fields to keep challenging us from the outside as well and to set new impulses." 

Profiles of the members of the IU Advisory Board

Frank Weise was Chairman of the Executive Board of the German Federal Employment Agency from 2004 to 2017 and simultaneously Head of the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees between 2015 and 2016. Dr. Frank Weise is one of Germany's leading experts on the future of education and employment and has also been involved in recent years as a board member of the non-profit Hertie Foundation and as President of Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe. 
 

Prof. Dr Tobias Bonhoeffer is Director at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence (in foundation). The German American scientist works intensively on the cellular foundations of learning and memory. With his ground-breaking research, he reveals the biological foundations of learning and how new information can be processed more effectively. Besides his directorship of at the Max Planck Institute, he holds professorships at the Ludwigs-Maximilians University, Munich, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim and the University of Capetown.
 

Raffaela Rein is an EdTech-expert and a formative protagonist in the European start-up, VC and tech industry. In 2018, the business magazine Forbes named her one of "Europe's Top 50 Women in Tech". With Career Foundry, Raffaela Rein founded Europe's largest online training platform in the field of user experience design. 
 

Lucy Stonehill, being the founder of BridgeU, literally builds bridges between school, higher education and professional life, using data-driven decision-making to support students in post-secondary planning. Her EdTech-company uses artificial intelligence to advise students in 139 countries on academic prospects and supports them in applying to universities worldwide.
 

Jimmy Wales is a US entrepreneur and strong advocate for the democratisation of knowledge. With the founding of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales has realised his vision of a comprehensive, neutral platform that unites the world's knowledge, leverages collective intelligence and is freely accessible.

since September 2023 also Sascha Lobo, AI expert, journalist & bestselling author - see press release
 

since July 2026 also Dr Frank Appel, former Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Post DHL Group, External Vice-President of the Max Planck Society as well as Chair of the Supervisory Boards of Deutsche Telekom AG and RWE - see press release

Erfurt, 19 January 2022 - IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is expanding its management team. Effective immediately, Dr. Carmen Thoma is a member of the executive board of Germany's largest university. The economist has been working at IU since 2014. Since mid-2019, she has been responsible for distance learning as Chief Operating Officer (COO). She will be the third member of IU's Executive Board, alongside Rector Prof. Dr. Holger Sommerfeldt and CEO Dr. Sven Schütt.

"IU International University of Applied Sciences is continuously growing, a major role is played by how the study programme is organised. We want to give many people access to education as easily and flexibly as possible. Carmen Thoma is committed to doing just that. She has made a significant contribution to making IU the largest university in Germany, soon to have 100,000 students. Together we will continue to drive forward the digitalisation and internationalisation of IU," says Dr. Sven Schütt, CEO of IU.

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES 
With over 75,000 students, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is the largest university in Germany. The private, state-recognised educational institution brings together more than 200 Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes under its roof, which are offered in German or English. Students can choose between on-campus study, dual study, distance learning and flexible combination models and thus shape their studies in a self-determined way. In addition, IU facilitates continuing education and promotes the idea of lifelong learning. The university's goal is to make education possible for as many people as possible. IU began operations in 2000 and is now represented in 28 German cities. It cooperates with over 10,000 companies and actively supports them in employee development. Its partners include Motel One, VW Financial Services and Deutsche Bahn. Further information at: www.iu.de/en

Erfurt, 26 July 2021 – IU International University of Applied Sciences has appointed a new member to its vice-rectorate: Prof. Dr. Anastasia Hermann. She will take over from Prof. Dr. Claudia Bornemeyer in August. She is responsible for the coordination and management of quality assurance measures in the area of teaching. The Senate appointed her for four years at the suggestion of Rector Prof. Dr. Holger Sommerfeldt.

Hermann has been Professor of Human Resource Management at IU since October 2020. She focuses on the topics of recruiting, employer branding and leadership. Previously, she worked for Deutsche Welle, the auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the job portal StepStone. She completed her doctorate in 2010 at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Bonn. Afterwards, she also worked there as a lecturer and held numerous lectures and webinars on personnel management and recruiting. In the vice-rectorate, she works with her team on new concepts for flexible education, is responsible for the university's system accreditation as well as programme and service evaluations. In addition to her role as vice-rector, Prof. Hermann will continue to teach at IU International University of Applied Sciences.

"I am pleased that with Anastasia Hermann we have been able to find a worthy successor to Claudia Bornemeyer. As a university, ensuring quality is one of our most central tasks. And in order to make education possible for everyone, everywhere, modern and flexible educational concepts are more important than ever. That is why we benefit from the expertise of our vice-rectorate and Anastasia Hermann," says Prof. Sommerfeldt.

A high-resolution photo of Anastasia Hermann is available at the following link .

Erfurt, 27 May 2021 - IU International University of Applied Sciences has appointed two new members to its Prorectorate: Prof. Dr. Regina Cordes and Prof. Dr. Kamal Bhattacharya. Both were appointed by the Senate for four years at the suggestion of the Rector Prof. Dr. Holger Sommerfeldt and will assume their positions on 1 June.

Prof. Dr. Regina Cordes is the new Vice-Rector in charge of accreditation and certification. On the academic side, she also coordinates the university's integrated offer formats such as Kombistudium(part-time studies), myStudium ("blended learning") as well as continuing education and corporate universities. Cordes has been Professor of Human Resources and Organisation at IU International University of Applied Sciences for two and a half years and focuses on New Work. In her previous position, she was responsible for the academic programme development team in distance learning. Previously, she was a Visiting Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for three years, where she researched leadership issues. She completed her doctorate in marketing at the University of Mannheim in 2010.

Prof. Dr. Kamal Bhattacharya will be in charge of Research and Transfer as Vice-Rector in the future. He has been a professor of computer science at IU International University of Applied Sciences since 2019, specialising in software engineering and development. He has spent most of his career in industrial research at IBM, working on software-based process optimisation and cloud computing. Bhattacharya has worked on technologies applied to critical problems in developing countries and has established several research and innovation centres in Africa in this subject area. He is active in the start-up scene, has founded several start-ups himself and works as a consultant. He completed his doctorate in physics at the Georg-August University of Göttingen with a focus on statistical mechanics.

"I am very pleased that we can further expand the expertise in our prorectorate with Regina Cordes and Kamal Bhattacharya and assert ourselves as a diverse and international university. With the new leadership team, we want to be even more future-proof and continue to make a great contribution to making education worldwide more modern, flexible and accessible to genuinely everyone," says Prof. Dr. Holger Sommerfeldt, Rector of IU International University of Applied Sciences.

Erfurt, 8 March 2021 - The Senate and the Managing company of the IUBH International University of Applied Sciences have appointed Professor Dr. Holger Sommerfeldt as the new Rector. On 8 March, Sommerfeldt will succeed the founding Rector, Professor Dr. Peter Thuy, under whose leadership the IU has developed into one of Germany's largest universities.

Holger Sommerfeldt has been teaching Management at the IUBH since 2008. As Vice-Rector, he has been responsible for the distance learning programme at the IU from the very beginning and has developed it into a successful digital model. He has thus contributed significantly to the continued growth of the IU.

Successful studies through apps, online exams, and learning sprints

Under Holger Sommerfeldt's leadership, the IUBH has built up its current comprehensive range of online and face-to-face study programmes with over 200 study programmes that flexibly adapt to students' personal needs. In addition, Digital tools such as learning apps and online exams as well as didactic innovations such as learning sprints support students and further increase the quality of studies. In the future, the university will continue to focus on translating progressive digitalisation into didactic innovations, both online and offline, according to the new Rector.

Enabling more people to study

"With our innovative forms of study, we make education possible for all. At any time, at any place - flexibly tailored to the student's needs," explained Sommerfeldt. "I am very much looking forward to continuing Peter Thuy's work and, as Rector, to further expanding the IUBH's role as a pioneer in digital education together with our students, staff, and professors. My goal is to enable all prospective students to study in the best possible way, whether in face-to-face or online classes so that they can grow personally. Because in doing so, we fulfil an important function - for society and for the individual students, who will continue to be the focus at the IUBH in the future." 

IUBH Managing Director, Dr. Sven Schütt, adds: "I am very pleased that the IUBH, with Holger Sommerfeldt at the helm, will continue to set standards with innovative digital education formats - in Germany and internationally. The success of our distance learning programme is largely based on Holger's strategic foresight, coupled with rapid implementation to the benefit of our students. With Holger as Rector, the IUBH as a whole will benefit from his qualities - and so will all our students."

Holger Sommerfeldt: "The mission of the IUBH is to offer high-quality academic education to everyone who wants to grow. With innovative digital teaching and learning formats, we give many people the opportunity to study in the first place! Whether it is a student without a high school diploma, the first member of the family to attend university, or a woman in a scientific or technical subject: Everyone should be able to pursue their interests and successfully develop areas of knowledge that are important for society and in demand on the labour market. That's why, in the further development of our degree programmes, we also focus on future topics such as artificial intelligence, data science, and coding, but also sustainability and care, among others - and on subjects that are just emerging but will shape our society in the coming years."

Erfurt, 3 March 2021- After a 20-year success story, the founding Rector of the IUBH, Prof. Dr. Peter Thuy, will step down at the end of February. Under his leadership, the IUBH has become a pioneer in digital education and the largest private university in Europe. Starting with 23 students in two-degree programmes, the IUBH today offers more than 200 Bachelor's, Master's, and MBA programmes in the areas of dual study and distance learning and part-time combined study and classic campus study. The number of students surpassed the 60,000 mark for the first time at the beginning of the year. The economist is handing over the reins at the IUBH with a good feeling; he said: "We have created a university that is up to the challenges of the digital transformation and is equipped for the future." "I would like to thank our long-time Rector Peter Thuy from the bottom of my heart for his huge contribution, without which the IUBH would not have become what it is today!" said Sven Schütt, Managing Director at the IUBH. "Peter Thuy has created new development opportunities for the now more than 100,000 students and alumni at the IUBH".

In 2000, Peter Thuy was appointed founding rector of the International University of Applied Sciences Bad Honnef - Bonn, now IU International University of Applied Sciences. As Rector, Thuy was responsible for the development of the academic programme at the IUBH. In 2008, he also took over the position of managing director of the Steigenberger Akademie in Bad Reichenhall. Thuy is also an expert in the accreditation of study programmes and higher education institutions, as well as Chairman of the Board of the Association of Private Universities VPH. "Over the past 20 years, the IUBH has become a role model for other institutions in digital education," says Sven Schütt. "With his enormous academic and educational policy expertise, Peter has been fighting for an agile, future-oriented university system for many years. I am very pleased that Peter will continue to support us and accompany the development of the IUBH."

Contribution to educational equity in Germany

Peter Thuy: "The IUBH shows what an important contribution innovative educational concepts can make to our society. I am particularly pleased that the IUBH today makes it possible for many thousands of people to study, which would not have been an option in the past. For example, 70% of our students come from a home without an academic background. This way, we make an important contribution to the democratisation of education." Furthermore, 45% of all students without a High School diploma (Abitur) in Germany started their studies at the IUBH last year. Schütt comments: "With his life's work at the IUBH, Peter Thuy has contributed more than any other rector in this country to educational justice in Germany. He has made his principle - that society should also offer an opportunity to every person who wants to develop - a reality at the IUBH with immense heart and commitment. For that, I thank Peter on behalf of all our students over the past 20 years!"