New leadership at Mainz University of Applied Sciences: Following her election by the Senate and University Council in June 2025, Prof. Dr. Katharina Dahm has now officially assumed office as President. Clemens Hoch, Rhineland-Palatinate Science and Health Minister, presented Prof. Dr. Dahm with her official certificate of appointment at a ceremony held on February 26, 2026, on the campus of Mainz University of Applied Sciences. The celebratory event also served as the official farewell to outgoing President Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman, who is retiring after six years of dedicated service.
As the new President, Prof. Dr. Katharina Dahm’s first priority in the coming weeks is to engage in dialogue with as many members of the university community as possible, as well as with figures from the city and the region. “I am looking forward to working alongside my colleagues on the Executive Board in the years ahead to strengthen the university’s regional presence and ensure its sustainable impact across the region, including beyond the urban centers,” says the 45-year-old.
“The central project this year is the move of all schools of Mainz University of Applied Sciences to a joint campus. Our focus here is not only on the physical move itself, it is about bringing all three schools together over the next few years to form a more closely integrated university in terms of both academic curriculum and organization, with the aim of establishing interdisciplinarity as a defining characteristic that is structurally embedded in teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and administration,” says Prof. Dr. Dahm. She is firmly committed to offering the people at Mainz University of Applied Sciences strong prospects for personal development through excellent educational and working conditions.
With its new shared campus; LUCY, an innovative, sustainable building for student co-working; the media hub on Wallstraße; and the LUX Pavilion, the university offers an attractive and modern learning environment. Prof. Dr. Dahm emphasizes: “At the heart of the university is the education of young people for their future professions and equipping them with the skills that are essential for the future. Our university must adapt our programs and teaching to the changing conditions in society and align with the evolving needs of the employment market, with strong dual studies programs, a deeper understanding of artificial intelligence, and a clear commitment addressing the shortage of skilled professionals.”
With the newly introduced right of research-intensive universities of applied sciences in Rhineland-Palatinate to award doctorates, the new President intends to strategically expand the research strengths of Mainz University of Applied Sciences and confidently leverage the related opportunities.
As a professor, the new President brings in‑depth experience in teaching and research and knows Mainz University of Applied Sciences from a variety of roles. Prof. Dr. Katharina Dahm is a Professor of Employment Law, Private Commercial Law, and Public Welfare Law at the School of Business, 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. She held the position of Central Equal Opportunities Officer at the university from 2022 to 2026, and advocated for gender equality at universities of applied sciences at the state level from 2024 to 2026 in her role as spokesperson for the State Conference of Equal Opportunities Officers at Universities in Rhineland-Palatinate (LaKoG RLP). In her capacity as LaKoG spokesperson, Prof. Dr. Dahm was also a member of the Extended Executive Board of the Federal Conference of Women’s and Equal Opportunities Officers at Universities (bukof).
Prior to her professorial appointment at Mainz University of Applied Sciences in 2018, Katharina Dahm worked at the Chair of Civil Law, Labor Law, and Commercial Law at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), first as a research associate and subsequently as a lecturer. She earned her doctorate in labor law and completed her postdoctoral lecture qualification in civil law, labor law, family law, and sports law. She has been admitted to the Academic Association for Family Law, and is a member of the German Family Court Conference, the Association of Civil Law Teachers, the German Association of University Teachers, and the German Association of Women Lawyers.
