Jan-Hendrik Olbertz

The new head of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU): Prof. Dr. Jan-Hendrik Olbertz is set to take over from Prof. Dr. Christoph Markschies as president of the venerable university on October 18, 2010. We spoke to him about the paradox inherent in university-level instruction, the linking of science and business, and Berlin’s advantages as a strategic location for business.  

You taught at Universität Halle-Wittenberg for many years and then became Minister of Culture in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. What prompted you to take on the presidency of the HU?

The Humboldt-Universität itself. Its three guiding pillars make it the prototype of a modern university: education through science, the unity of research and teaching, and the freedom of research, teaching and learning. Humboldt’s ideas on education continue to be valid today and have stood in an ongoing tense relationship to the realities of academia for the past 200 years. This is what makes everything so interesting. I’m absolutely taken by this university.

What are the particular strengths of Humboldt-Universität?

We have a wide spectrum of disciplines and a good balance between science and the humanities. The university also has a tremendous staff. We have some major names among our professors and an obligation to maintain this high standard. Humboldt-Universität is also located at the very heart of a European metropolis that counts as one of the leading cities in the world for science and culture. 

This is high praise for Berlin. What advantages does the city offer in terms of science and R&D?

Berlin has a vibrant research landscape and an impressive concentration of universities and non-university institutes. The city has incredible development potential, especially if we succeed in connecting these players even further. I have a tremendous interest in making this happen. 

How do you think Berlin will develop in the coming years? How will it have to develop in order to stay competitive?

It’s up to us to use new and innovative ideas to further develop the city’s attractiveness. I believe that Humboldt-Universität can play a key role in this process. Each science institute can and should sharpen their profile even further. At the same time, it’s absolutely essential that cooperative activities and networking take place among them. This could start with practical things, including the joint use of infrastructure, such as libraries and laboratories. 

You argue that academic teaching is lagging behind modernized research. What exactly do you mean by this?

Today, the biggest ideas and innovations emerging from science no longer come from the center of each academic discipline. Rather, they come from the intersection between disciplines. Indeed, research is becoming ever more interdisciplinary, and science is organizing itself around specific questions and themes. In contrast, teaching is still done on a strict discipline-oriented basis. This has to stay this way because of the very nature of teaching. In other words, if you want to transcend the borders of established academic disciplines, you have to learn how to draw these lines in the first place, for the very simple reason that interdisciplinary excellence depends entirely on concrete expertise in each individual field. But how can universities achieve productive interdisciplinary thinking and work processes? How can we solve this conflict in the academic field? I don’t have any solutions yet, but it’s something I certainly think about often.

What points on your agenda pertain to research?

There are three: first of all, we need to expand integrated research. In other words, we need to connect university and non-university research more closely together. Secondly, we need to create even stronger core focus areas and build up our research profile. This applies not only to the HU, but to all three major universities in Berlin. Thirdly, we need to be better networked, starting with ourselves, but also with society in general and with partners from the business community. 

Where are these connections to the business community already working well?

For example, at our two integrative research institutes: the Center for Integrative Life Sciences in Berlin Mitte and the Integrative Research Institute for the Sciences in Adlershof. We work very closely with non-university research establishments as well as with companies. Adlershof is also home to a number of spin-offs who are supported by Humboldt-Innovation GmbH. You could argue that our work there is a very successful form of business development.  

Where are improvements necessary?

In terms of joint science projects in the Berlin area, I see considerable potential, for example, in pharmaceutical research. Humboldt-Universität, Freie Universität and Charité could work together in close cooperation and also collaborate with business. We definitely need more cooperation with corporate research. This is where Humboldt-Universität could act as a strong, independent partner. We could develop projects together, use lab capacities jointly and speed-up the transfer of knowledge to actual business practice. I would also like to see the business community providing more support for young academics. I’m thinking, for example, of internships, stipends and an increase in the activities of foundations designed to support research and teaching. 

About Jan-Hendrik Olbertz:

The education researcher Prof. Dr. habil. Jan-Hendrik Olbertz completed his dissertation in 1989 with a paper entitled “Academic Ethos and University Pedagogy – A Study of the Interdisciplinary Bases of Moral Education at University.”  In 1992, Olbertz was called to the Universität Halle-Wittenberg as a professor of education. From 2002 to June 2010, he acted as Minister of Culture in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 2005, Prof. Olbertz has been a member of the executive committee of the German Protestant Kirchentag. On October 18, 2010 he will take over as president of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. “

You will also find Jan-Hendrik Olbertz in the Who's Who Berlin: Capital of Science