Professor Martin Paul, President of Maastricht University (UM), has been elected Rector of Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), Germany. His term as UM President will end when he takes up his new position at RUB on 1 November 2021. That also means that YUFE will have to say goodbye to its first Chair on that date.

“I am honoured that the Senate and Supervisory Board of Ruhr-Universität Bochum have elected me as its Rector,” Martin Paul said in his announcement. “I am pleased to be able to put my experience in Maastricht to good use at one of the largest and most highly regarded universities in Germany. I am now halfway through my third and final term at UM. I have been President here for almost ten years, so this is a good time to announce a new step. It will also give UM the time and space needed to find a suitable successor.”

Professor Paul joined UM in May 2008, combining his professorship in clinical pharmacology with administrative positions. Previously, he served as Vice Chair of the MUMC+ and Dean of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences. He has been President of the university since 2011. In 2019, he was elected as Chair of YUFE. Professor Paul will remain Chair of the YUFE Strategy Board until 1 November 2021, with UM nominating a replacement on the YUFE Strategy Board from then on.

Over the years, Martin Paul has devoted himself to international cooperation between universities and other parts of society. He has also been of great importance for the development of YUFE. That is why we at YUFE regret seeing him leave in six months. At the same time, YUFE warmly congratulates Martin Paul on this new career step. And we look forward to working with him for another six months on a diverse, international and cooperative community.