On Thursday, February 26, 2026, Mainz University of Applied Sciences celebrated the official handover of the office of President in a ceremony attended by numerous invited guests from academia, business, and politics. Prof. Dr. Katharina Dahm takes over as head of the university of applied sciences, succeeding Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman, who has served as President since 2020.
In her inaugural address on the Mainz University of Applied Sciences campus, Prof. Dr. Dahm stated, “I would like to continue developing Mainz University of Applied Sciences strategically as an attractive, international institution – a place that inspires people to work, teach, conduct research, and study. I am motivated to fulfill the university’s social responsibility with fresh ideas, pragmatism, and a forward-looking perspective, working together with all members of our university community. Our greatest strength is our interdisciplinarity – the collaboration between Design, Engineering, and Business.”
“I congratulate Prof. Dr. Katharina Dahm on assuming the office of President and am delighted that we were able to appoint her to lead Mainz University of Applied Sciences. In Prof. Dr. Dahm, the university has elected a candidate who will continue to both pursue and expand on the path established under Prof. Weissman’s leadership. This includes not only the upcoming move on campus but also regional partnerships with companies and stakeholders in the Rhine-Main region, as well as raising the university’s visibility in the heart of the city through the LUX Pavilion. Thanks to its outgoing President, Mainz University of Applied Sciences enjoys an excellent position, and I am confident that Prof. Dahm will lead the university into a very bright future. I look forward to working with her and wish her every success in the tasks ahead,” said Science and Health Minister Clemens Hoch during the ceremony.
Prof. Dr. Katharina Dahm will officially assume the role of President on March 1, 2026. She studied law at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, earning her doctorate in labor law, and completing her postdoctoral lecture qualification in civil law and sports law. She worked at the Chair of Civil Law, Labor Law, and Commercial Law, first as a research assistant and later as a lecturer. In 2018, she was appointed Professor of Employment Law, Private Commercial Law, and Public Welfare Law at Mainz University of Applied Sciences, where she headed the master’s program in Labor and Employment Law and Human Resource Management until 2026. From 2021 to 2024, she served on the university’s Senate. From September 2022 to February 2026, Katharina Dahm held the position of Central Equal Opportunities Officer at the university. She also advocated for gender equality at universities of applied sciences at the state level in her role as spokesperson for the State Conference of Equal Opportunities Officers at Universities in Rhineland-Palatinate (LaKoG RLP) from April 2024 to February 2026.
In his farewell tribute to Prof. Dr. Weissman, Minister Hoch honored not only her exceptional accomplishments as the first female President of Mainz University of Applied Sciences, but also her broader impact on the state’s higher education landscape: “Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman consistently took a comprehensive view of the higher education landscape in Rhineland-Palatinate. As Chair of the Rhineland-Palatinate State University Presidents’ Conference (LHPK), she was a reliable partner during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and also worked with great energy and commitment to advance the right of universities of applied sciences to award doctorates in Rhineland-Palatinate. The fact that this right was introduced in 2025 in a legislative amendment is largely thanks to her efforts.”
Over the past six years, Prof. Dr. Weissman guided the university through challenging times and made a lasting contribution to its visibility and impact in the city and the region. In particular, the continuous expansion of partnerships in the worlds of business, culture, and science helped further sharpen the profile of Mainz University of Applied Sciences.
In her farewell address, Prof. Dr. Weissman expressed her gratitude to all members of the university community as well as to the university’s partners for their trust and constructive collaboration.
Before the ceremonial handover, a panel discussion was held on the topic of “University Development at a Turning Point.” Guided by the central question of how the demands placed on and responsibilities of universities have changed and what this means for academia and society, participants included Science and Health Minister Clemens Hoch, Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman, Prof. Dr. Katharina Dahm, LHPK Chair Prof. Dr. Eva Martha Eckkrammer, University Council Chair Prof. Dr. Michael Maskos, and Jannik Brondke from the Student Parliament.
The discussion focused on the role of academia in societal transformation processes, the impact of global crises on study and research, and the responsibility of universities for innovation, democracy, and the development of skilled professionals. It became clear that universities of applied sciences such as Mainz University of Applied Sciences play a key role at the convergence of academia, industry, and society.
The musical accompaniment for the event was provided by the Big Band of Mainz University of Applied Sciences.
