dies academicus 2025: ‘A partner in social transformation’
2025-07-17 The academic year 2025 came to an end last week with the dies academicus. At the ceremony in the Libeskind Auditorium, university members were honoured for outstanding research achievements, innovative concepts in knowledge transfer and student engagement. Paula Jarzabkowski, Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Queensland, received an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Economics and Technology.
"Our study programmes remain in high demand – bucking the trend in northern Germany. We are also particularly proud of the AACSB accreditation awarded to the Faculty of Management and Technology. We have also positioned ourselves for the future in research with the university-wide focus on “Social Transformation and Disruption Processes”. Leuphana will receive 18.5 million euros from the Volkswagen Foundation and the state in the coming years for the “Embracing Transformation in Research, Education and Knowledge Transfer” programme – a great opportunity to establish Leuphana as a leading location for transformation research. These successes are the result of joint commitment," summarised President Sascha Spoun in the central building.
The focus of the dies academicus was on honouring scientific work with an honorary doctorate: Leuphana University Lüneburg awarded this year's honorary doctorate to Paula Jarzabkowski. The organisational researcher is Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Queensland Business School in Brisbane, Australia. She is one of the developers of the field of ‘strategy as practice’ in management and organisational research. With her scientific work, she has created a new understanding of organisational and strategic processes and inspired an entire generation of researchers. Her ethnographic work is considered the gold standard for qualitative empirical research. ‘It is a huge honour to receive this award from Leuphana. And that is also because of what Leuphana stands for. Which is to be at the forefront of higher education and making it a partner in social transformation. I believe that the social transformation we need in these times of polarisation and disruption is well positioned in the university space,’ said Paula Jarzabkowski in her acceptance speech. The economist has published more than 70 articles in high-ranking scientific journals, three books, two edited volumes and eight special issues. She is listed among the ‘1%’ of scientists in ‘Economics and Business’ in the ‘Essential Science Indicators’ and has more than 22,300 citations.
With the Transfer & Impact Award, which was supported by the Lüneburg University Foundation for Research and Business, Leuphana recognised outstanding achievements in the areas of knowledge transfer, cooperation and impact of the project ‘Transformation through Innovation and Cooperation in Communities (TrICo)’, for which it was awarded the title of Innovative University by the BMBF. The group of professors, academic and administrative staff, and scientific project manager Prof. Dr. Paul Drews were honoured for the conception, acquisition and establishment of the four Leuphana Innovation Communities. "It would perhaps sometimes be easier to lock ourselves away in the proverbial ivory tower. But we want and seek exchange with society and want to work together with it on the major challenges and transformation processes," said Paul Drews.
Prof. Dr. Karina Frick was honoured with the Leuphana Young Researcher Award for her significant, socially highly relevant research contributions and for communicating them beyond the science community. Karina Frick works in the field of applied linguistics, focusing on language use and competence, particularly in the digital realm, and addresses issues affecting society as a whole, such as the selection mechanisms implied therein and the resulting power relations.
This year's Leuphana Special Prize for Gender and Diversity Research was awarded to Dr Iniobong Essien and Prof. Dr Ben Trott. Both researchers were honoured for their outstanding and socially relevant scientific work. ‘Scientific research is currently under enormous pressure – not in Germany, but internationally,’ warned Prof. Dr. Erich Hörl in his laudatory speech, referring in particular to research that ‘includes excluded and marginalised positions in its knowledge production’.
In her speech, Lüneburg's mayor and Leuphana alumna Claudia Kalisch recalled her own time as a student: ‘Leuphana has shaped my life,’ she said, drawing a parallel with the city: ‘Leuphana provides us with countless skilled workers, among other things through its teacher training and innovative law degree programme.’
Vice President Christian Brei spoke at the dies academicus about university development: "Academia and administration belong together, insofar as administration and service enable academia and, conversely, the practice of academia gives administration its raison d'être in the first place. They are dependent on each other, and this is all the more true when it comes to opening up the university to those actors who were not previously included in the existing regulations but should now be taken into account. I would therefore like to thank all of you who are helping to shape this path of development with patience, forbearance and a high level of willingness to learn and perform!"
Vice President Prof. Dr. Simone Abels praised the approximately 90 student initiatives at Leuphana for their great commitment: ‘Students actively participate in the development of our university and help shape it through their commitment. Insights from research and teaching and shared values are carried forward in various projects that our students develop and implement independently. Keep up your passion!’ The laudatory speech for the Student Volunteer Award went to the student project ‘Take Initiative!’ for its innovative and professional approach to addressing social change with a low-threshold support service. ‘Change is possible, and you are showing where it begins!’ said Juliane Sophie Bentzien from the UniKino team. This student initiative was honoured in 2023 for its commitment.
AStA spokespersons Denise Granzow and Hannah Splitter thanked the many committed students at Leuphana: ‘We want to thank and congratulate everyone who contributed to this goal and encourage you to continue building a university where we are proud to be a part of.’
The musical accompaniment for the ceremony was provided by the two artists in residence Azadeh Maghsoodi (violin) and Noam Carmon (clarinet) and university music director Rebecca Lang.