It was with mixed feelings that Peter Endres bid farewell to ‘his’ OTH Regensburg. President Prof. Dr. Ralph Schneider praised Endres's achievements, noting that he had played a key role in shaping the development of what was then a university of applied sciences and is now OTH Regensburg since 2007. As head of administration, he was responsible for the budget, personnel, buildings and resources – tasks that usually take place behind the scenes, but whose importance for the success of a university cannot be overestimated.
His tenure saw profound structural changes, strong growth in student numbers and the continuous development of the university's study and research profile. The structural development of OTH Regensburg also bears his clear signature: From the central lecture hall building to the student union, the House of Technology and the buildings for computer science, mathematics and architecture, to the modern new administration building and the House of Innovation and Transfer, numerous projects were realised or initiated. Most recently, Peter Endres attended the ground-breaking ceremony for the Johannes Kepler Building of International Services, which will welcome international visiting scholars to OTH Regensburg in the future.
A formative chancellor retires
In addition to these visible milestones, his chancellorship was also marked by challenging phases – from discussions on higher education policy and the financial crisis to, last but not least, the coronavirus pandemic with its far-reaching effects on studies and administration. It was precisely in these times that Peter Endres was in demand as a balancing and reliable factor. At the handover ceremony, he was tongue-in-cheek honoured as the ‘guardian of the budget,’ who always placed realism, responsibility and sound judgement at the centre of his actions.
Utto Spielbauer, who takes over as Chancellor, has known OTH Regensburg for many years and is very familiar with its structures. Born in Straubing, he joined the university management team as Vice-Chancellor just four months after Peter Endres took office. For him, the decision to become Chancellor was a logical next step, motivated by his enjoyment of challenging tasks and his attachment to the university.
New impetus for an administration in transition
‘As Chancellor, I would like to build on the work that has been done and, together with the staff, further develop the administration so that it remains efficient even under changing conditions,’ said Spielbauer. He wants to actively shape change processes. Issues such as modern employee management, organisational change and the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence will significantly change administrative work in the future. His aim is to set up OTH Regensburg organisationally in such a way that it remains capable of acting effectively even under changed conditions.
The new Chancellor will be supported in future by Elisabeth Cramer as Vice-Chancellor. The new head of the Legal Department has been working at OTH Regensburg for many years and is the first woman to hold this position.
The handover marks the end of a formative chancellorship and the beginning of a new chapter in the administration of OTH Regensburg.
