Central Offices and Bodies
The following is a brief presentation of those offices and bodies whose elections are conducted or supervised by the Election Office.
Bodies
Senate
The Senate is the highest decision-making body of the University. Thus, within the framework of the Brandenburg Higher Education Act (BbgHG), it decides on many principles of the University of Potsdam, e.g. the election of the President and the long-term development of the University. The Senate is composed of lecturers, academic staff, students and staff from technology and administration in a ratio of 6:2:2:1.
The Senate is a decision-making body. In order to prepare decisions, it sets up various thematically defined commissions in which members of the University work on issues of substance.
To the website of the Senate and the Senate Commissions (German only)
Legal Frameworks
- BbgHG - § 64 Zentrale Hochschulorgane (version of 23.09.2020)
- GrundO - Article 14 Senat (version of 16.06.2022)
- WahlO
Faculty Councils
Each faculty has a faculty council. This is the highest decision-making body of the faculty. Similar to the senate at university level, the faculty council at faculty level decides on fundamental issues, long-term developments, appointments and elects the dean. The faculty's lecturers, academic staff, students and technical and administrative staff are represented in the council in a ratio of 6:2:2:1.
A faculty council is a decision-making body. More complex decisions are therefore prepared in terms of content by commissions previously appointed by the Faculty Council.
Faculty Council of the Digital Engineering Faculty
Faculty Council of the Faculty of Arts
Faculty Council of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences (German only)
Faculty Council of the Faculty of Human Sciences
Faculty Council of the Faculty of Science
Faculty Council of the Law Faculty (German only)
Faculty Council of the Faculty of Health Sciences
Legal Frameworks
- BbgHG - § 64 Zentrale Hochschulorgane (version of 23.09.2020)
- GrundO - Article 21 Senat (version of 16.06.2022)
- WahlO
Center for Teacher Training and Education Research (ZeLB)
The Center for Teacher Training and Education Research (ZeLB) is a joint decentralised organisational unit of the teacher training faculties. It is the central point of contact for questions and coordination in teacher education and advises the university on all matters relating to teacher education. The ZeLB Assembly is elected in the central office and body elections. It consists of the lecturers, academic staff, students and staff from technology and administration in a ratio of 7:1:4:1 and plays a major role in steering the ZeLB.
Legal Frameworks
- GrundO - Article 18 Beauftragte oder Beauftragter für Lehrerbildung (version of 16.06.2022)
- WahlO
- Satzung des ZeLB
DFG Review Board Election
The DFG Review Board Election is an important building block for scientific self-administration and in the distribution of funding by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Elections are held within the group of doctoral graduates. The elections take place nationwide and online. The contact persons at the University of Potsdam are the election commissioners of the respective faculty and the DFG's liaison officer.
To the DFG Review Board Election website 2023
Legal Framework
- Election Framework of the DFG Review Board Election (Wahlordnung der DFG-Fachkollegienwahl)
Offices
Central Gender Equality Officer
The Central Gender Equality Officer supports the University of Potsdam in the actual equality of women and men. Her term of office is four years. The Central Gender Equality Officer and up to two deputies are elected by all members and affiliates of the University of Potsdam. Only female members of the University of Potsdam are eligible for election.
To the Gender Equality Officer website (German only)
Legal Framework
- BbgHG - § 68 Zentrale und dezentrale Gleichstellungsbeauftragte (version of 23.09.2020)
- GrundO - Article 16 Gleichstellungsbeauftragte (version of 16.06.2022)
- WahlO - § 25 Wahl der Gleichstellungsbeauftragten (version of 22.03.2017)
Decentral Gender Equality Officers
The Decentral Gender Equality Officers support and advise the Central Gender Equality Officer. They can be elected per faculty or administrative unit. Their term of office is two years. A Decentral Gender Equality Officer may have two deputies. Only female members of the respective constituency are eligible for election.
Overview of the decentral Gender Equality Officers (German only)
Legal Framework
- BbgHG - § 68 Zentrale und dezentrale Gleichstellungsbeauftragte (version of 23.09.2020)
- GrundO - Article 16 Gleichstellungsbeauftragte (version of 16.06.2022)
- WahlO - § 25 Wahl der Gleichstellungsbeauftragten (version of 22.03.2017)