Professor Max Huber, DAAD Vice President of many years’ standing, dies
DAAD/Eric A. Lichtenscheidt
The DAAD mourns the loss of former DAAD Vice President. Professor Dr. Max G. Huber passed away in Bonn on Monday, 20 March 2017, after a serious illness.
From 1996 onwards, Professor Huber was DAAD Vice President for four full terms of office, a total of 16 years, combining great strength with passionate commitment. As Vice Chancellor of the University of Bonn and as a physicist who had excellent international connections, Professor Huber met all the requirements for the position of DAAD Vice President. He had valuable experience in higher education and research management, a rich network of personal and professional contacts throughout the world and a visionary view of developments in Germany’s academic system. One of his key objectives was to strengthen the international competitiveness of Germany as a place to study and to attract “smart minds” to German universities. Professor Huber was a trailblazer in believing that a systematically planned and institutionally anchored marketing strategy was essential to ensure Germany’s international success as a place to study and do research. At that time, this was a topic that was new to German universities. And it was a topic to which Professor Huber applied himself with enthusiasm and verve, not least in his capacity as the Federal Government’s national commissioner for international university marketing. In 2012, Professor Huber was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, First Class, for his outstanding work.
Professor Huber was closely linked to the DAAD throughout his life, and for this we owe him a great deal. He held a position of responsibility for many years, and was in charge of leading the dynamic development of the DAAD from a scholarship organisation to a highly valued agency for international academic collaboration. As his term of office came to an end, Professor Huber offered his services twice, at a time when the DAAD was in need of him. Following the early death of DAAD President Professor Stefan Hormuth, Professor Huber did not hesitate to step into the breach and serve as acting DAAD President for several months. He was there when Professor Sabine Kunst unexpectedly resigned from office after a short time when she became a minister in the state of Brandenburg. Professor Huber played an important role in ensuring that the DAAD stayed “on track” at this difficult time.
Above all, Max Huber was a very fine and modest person, a real gentleman. He was outgoing and friendly towards everybody; his friendly, warm manner won many friends for the DAAD worldwide.
Professor Max G. Huber, who would have turned 80 on 25 June, rendered outstanding services for science, the German universities and our country. The DAAD loses not only a tireless campaigner for international academic collaboration, but also a warm-heated and truly great personality. We will always remember him and hold him in high esteem.
Professor Dr. Margret Wintermantel Dr. Dorothea Rüland