Germany: Johannes Wessels appointed President of the University of Göttingen

Johannes Wessels has been appointed President of the University of Göttingen in Germany. The physics Professor was elected by both the university senate and foundation committee, the institution announced on 20/05/2026.

Wessels will succeed Axel Schölmerich, who has been serving as acting president since 01/03/2025. Wessels' six-year term is expected to begin toward the end of the year.

He has over ten years of experience as Rector of the University of Münster. Senate spokesman Ramin Yahyapour said this gave him "the best qualifications to strategically realign the University of Göttingen".

Johannes Wessels studied physics at Heidelberg University, where he also received his doctorate in 1990. As a postdoctoral researcher, he worked at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and at Heidelberg University.

He completed his habilitation at Heidelberg University in 2000. From 2001 to 2002, he was again employed as a senior scientist at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt. Since 2003, he has…