Who can knock the dollar off its throne? - This is the title of an article published by WirtschaftsWoche on the status of the dollar as a reserve currency. In it, the author Saskia Littmann quotes a study by Prof. Bernd Kempa, head of the Institute for International Economics at the University of Münster. Euronews.com also draws on Bernd Kempa's expertise in the recent article “Is Trump destroying the dollar - and what does it mean for the euro?” .

Wer kann den Dollar vom Thron stoßen? - Unter diesem Titel hat die WirtschaftsWoche einen Artikel zum Status des Dollars als Reservewährung veröffentlicht. Darin zitiert die Autorin Saskia Littmann eine Studie von Prof. Bernd Kempa, Leiter des Institutes für Internationale Ökonomie an der Universität Münster. Auch Euronews.com greift im aktuellen Beitrag "Is Trump destroying the dollar - and what does it mean for the euro?" auf die Expertise von Bernd Kempa zurück.  

Wie entstehen Innovationen – und wie können sie helfen, die großen Herausforderungen unserer Zeit zu lösen? Mit diesen Fragen beschäftigt sich im Sommersemester die öffentliche Ringvorlesung „Problem gelöst? Ein interdisziplinärer Blick auf Innovationen“, zu der die Universität Münster ab dem 5. Mai einlädt. Die Vortragsreihe richtet sich an alle Interessierten und findet montags von 16 bis 18 Uhr in der Aula am Aasee oder live über E-Lectures statt. Der Eintritt ist frei, eine Anmeldung ist erforderlich.

Am 02. Mai 2025 fand die feierliche Abschiedsvorlesung von Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jörg Becker im Hörsaal Leo 1 am Leonardo-Campus statt. Zahlreiche Kolleg*innen aus dem gesamten Fachbereich 4, langjährigen Weggefährt*innen, ehemalige und noch aktuelle Doktorand*innen aus drei Jahrzehnten sowie seine Familie nahmen an der Veranstaltung teil. Der Rektor der Universität Münster, Prof. Johannes Wessels, Prof. Christoph Watrin, Prodekan für Finanzen der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät, sowie der Direktor des Instituts für Wirtschaftsinformatik, Prof. Jan vom Brocke, würdigten Prof. Jörg Becker in ihren Grußworten.

Exciting project seminars for bachelor's and master’s students are once again taking place at the Institute of Information Systems this summer semester.

The following project seminars have already started in the bachelor's program:

Eyes Wide Scroll - attention analysis in social media for AI training (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Grimme, Marie Griesbach): To analyze content in modern online media such as social media, pure text analysis is no longer sufficient - images, videos and audio data must also be taken into account. This so-called multimodal analysis is complex and requires a focus on essential content, especially in real-time analyses. The project seminar investigates how image analysis methods can be equipped with a ‘human focus’ - for example, by using eye-tracking data to recognize which image areas are relevant for people. The aim is to further develop analysis algorithms so that they concentrate on these relevant areas. To this end, the Institute's eye-tracking lab is being utilized and expanded in order to conduct experiments and develop initial focus-based analysis methods.

AI for sustainable cities (Comuneo) (Prof. Dr. Tobias Brandt, Ann-Kathrin Meyer, Johannes von Ivernois): Cities play a key role in sustainable development, but are faced with limited resources. Artificial intelligence can help, for example in planning and monitoring, but has so far been little used in the public sector - partly due to high data protection and reliability requirements. Students are working with the start-up Comuneo to develop AI-supported solutions that automatically evaluate digital data sources and transfer them to a platform. In addition to technical implementation, the focus is also on organizational, ethical and regulatory issues.

These project seminars in the master's program had their kick-off:

Future Mobility Lab (Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke, Mara Burger): The Future Mobility Lab is a cooperation between ERCIS and Transdev, the largest private mobility company in Germany. This semester, the seminar focuses on  crises prevention through process optimization. To this end, machine learning techniques and GenAI are being applied to real data from Transdev. In order to better understand crises in local public transport, they will also visit a control center of the S-Bahn Hannover to exchange ideas with the dispatchers there.

Digital entrepreneurship: Building a technology-driven startup (Prof. Dr. Tobias Brandt, Shariga Sivanathan): This semester, the entrepreneurial team from MOTO will be working on their own startup idea for open all-day schools. What makes this seminar special: the participating students already bring a specific, digitally focused business idea to the table, which they will further develop during the course of the project seminar, and it fully counts towards their academic credit.

The Sims, Startup Edition: Simulating entrepreneurial decision-making with Generative AI (Prof. Dr. Tobias Brandt, Shariga Sivanathan): Six students will work together throughout the semester. The aim is to explore how entrepreneurial decision-making can be simulated using Generative AI agents, offering participants an immersive learning experience. 

Hilti Seminar (Prof. Jan vom Brocke, Sandro Franzoi): In this project seminar, students collaborate with the global manufacturing company Hilti to tackle a real-world challenge at the intersection of artificial intelligence and business process management. Their task: to design and develop an LLM-based learning assistant that helps process managers acquire relevant knowledge more efficiently and engagingly – using cutting-edge AI capabilities and Hilti’s real training resources.

We are already looking forward to the results of the project seminars!

In ihrem Vortrag "Sparfüchse aufgepasst! Wie Du schlau mit Geld umgehen kannst" vermittelt Katharina Burmeister, Studienrätin im Hochschuldienst am Institut für Ökonomische Bildung, am 23. Mai 2025 um 16:15 Uhr im Rahmen der Kinder-Uni grundlegende Strategien im Umgang mit Geld. Mit kleinen Denkexperimenten, Beispielen und kindgerechten Erklärungen bereitet die Wissenschaftlerin das Thema in dieser Vorlesung anschaulich und lebendig auf. Eine Anmeldung ist noch bis zum 22. Mai (Donnerstag) um 10 Uhr möglich. 

On May 2, 2025, the farewell lecture of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jörg Becker took place in lecture hall Leo 1 at the Leonardo Campus. Numerous colleagues from across the School of Business and Economics, long-time companions, former and current doctoral students from three decades, as well as his family, attended the event. The Rector of the University of Münster, Prof. Johannes Wessels, the Vice Dean for Financial Affairs, Prof. Christoph Watrin, and the Director of the Department of Information Systems, Prof. Jan vom Brocke, honored Prof. Becker in their welcoming speeches.

Heute startet das Konklave in Rom, bei dem 133 Kardinäle der katholischen Kirche einen neuen Papst wählen. Die Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung hat eine ökonomische Einordnung veröffentlicht, um den streng geheimen Prozess verständlicher zu machen. Einer der zitierten Experten im Artikel von Alexander Wulfers ist Prof. Thomas Apolte, Inhaber des Lehrstuhls für Ökonomische Politikanalyse an der Universität Münster. Er hält es für ausgeschlossen, „dass einfach so ein Kandidat die Zweidrittelmehrheit erreicht.“

Was spricht dafür, nach dem Studium noch zu promovieren? Wie läuft eine Promotion ab und welche Voraussetzungen müssen erfüllt sein? Diese und weitere Fragen konnten Studierende bei einer Informationsveranstaltung mit Professor:innen und Promovierenden der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät diskutieren. Organisiert wurde der Termin von Prof. Verena Rieger, Inhaberin des Lehrstuhls für Unternehmensführung. Neben ihr standen Prof. Nadine Riedel, Leiterin des Instituts für Wirtschaftspolitik und Regionalökonomik, und Prof. Jan vom Brocke, Inhaber des Lehrstuhls für Wirtschaftsinformatik und Geschäftsprozessmanagement, sowie Fiona Höllmann (FCM), Miriam Möllers (WI) und Simon Haastert (CQE) als Promovierende den Studierenden Rede und Antwort.

In part 16 of the Alumni Stories, we take a look at the career of Peer Naubert, Chief Marketing Officer of Bundesliga International GmbH. After studying at the University of Münster and Stanford, his path led him through leading positions in Hamburg, New York, and Shanghai, ultimately bringing him to his current role, where he is responsible for global marketing and the distribution of international media rights for the Bundesliga. In the interview, he shares his experiences and insights into the world of sports marketing.

In Teil 16 der Alumni Stories werfen wir einen Blick auf die Karriere von Peer Naubert, Chief Marketing Officer der Bundesliga International GmbH. Nach seinem Studium an der Universität Münster und Stanford führte ihn sein Weg über führende Positionen in Hamburg, New York und Shanghai schließlich zu seiner jetzigen Rolle, in der er das globale Marketing und den Vertrieb der internationalen Medienrechte der Bundesliga verantwortet. Im Interview teilt er seine Erfahrungen und Einblicke in die Welt des Sportmarketings.

On May 2, 2025, the farewell lecture of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jörg Becker took place in lecture hall Leo 1 at the Leonardo Campus. Numerous colleagues from across the School of Business and Economics, long-time companions, former and current doctoral students from three decades, as well as his family, attended the event.

The Rector of the University of Münster, Prof. Johannes Wessels, the Vice Dean of the School of Business and Economics, Prof. Christoph Watrin, and the Director of the Department of Information Systems, Prof. Jan vom Brocke, honored Prof. Becker in their welcoming speeches. They expressed their gratitude for his outstanding commitment –particularly in establishing and advancing the field of Information Systems in Münster –as well as for the many forward-thinking projects he initiated and shaped.

Jörg Becker then gave his farewell and inaugural lecture titled “The best of both worlds”, in which he reflected on his beginnings at the department and provided insight into his future plans as a senior professor.

The Senior Professorship of Information Management continues the long-standing work of the Chair of Information Systems and Information Management. Jörg Becker and his team conduct research in the fields of process and data modeling. In addition to the development and evaluation of new methods, the focus is on the transfer of results into practice – particularly in the areas of services, e-government, and trade – remains a key focus. Through integration into the European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS), an interdisciplinary approach is pursued that brings together core competencies from information systems, computer science, business administration, and law.

Since 1990, Jörg Becker has profoundly shaped the Department and the field of Information Systems. His research in process management, data management, e-government, information modeling, retail information systems, and hybrid value creation has left a lasting impact. As the founder of ERCIS, he has decisively advanced the network in Information Systems not only throughout Europe, but also internationally.

The Department of Information Systems would like to thank Jörg Becker for everything he has done for the Department and the SBE – for his extraordinary commitment, many years of loyalty, and for preserving the founding spirit that has inspired so many of his colleagues along the way.

Der Münsteraner Gesprächskreis Rechnungslegung und Prüfung e. V. (MGK) lädt am 5. Juni 2025 zum 37. Münsterischen Tagesgespräch in das Mövenpick Hotel in Münster ein. Die kommende Tagung steht unter dem Thema „Nachhaltigkeit im Fokus – Neue Anforderungen an Unternehmensberichterstattung und -bewertung?“ und wird von Prof. Jörg Baetge und Prof. Hans-Jürgen Kirsch von der Universität Münster veranstaltet. Eine Anmeldung ist noch bis zum 19. Mai 2025 möglich.

The first Bootcamp as part of the EU-funded CURATE project took place in Košice on 7 and 8 April. The event was hosted by the Technical University of Košice (TUKE), which is working with five other partner universities in the Ulysseus network to set up an innovative, student-centred incubator programme.

The aim of the CURATE project is to enable students to develop entrepreneurial skills and build AI-supported problem-solving capabilities. A total of around 70 students from the partner universities took part in the boot camp - accompanied by coaches and other project participants.

The University of Münster was represented by 15 students under the direction of Prof Dr Tobias Brandt and Shariga Sivanathan. While eight of them were able to experience the inspiring atmosphere on site in Košice, the other students joined in digitally.

The boot camp offered a varied programme: In addition to practice-oriented workshops on the topic of design thinking, the participants gained exciting insights from expert presentations from the industry as well as targeted coaching sessions. One particular highlight was the keynote speech by Prof Dr Tobias Brandt on the topic of ‘AI-Driven Innovation’. The event not only enabled the students to develop their specialist skills, but also provided them with their first valuable experience of intercultural and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The next boot camp will take place in September at the University of Münster. We are already looking forward to welcoming not only our students, but also our partner universities here in Münster!

Holistic Selling – this is the future concept for B2B sales described by Prof. Dr. Manfred Krafft, Director of the Institute of Marketing, together with Tim Kalwey, Murali Mantrala, and Yeji Lim in their new study "Holistic Selling – An Emerging Paradigm in B2B Markets." The article has just been published in the Journal of Marketing, an A+ publication and one of the top journals in marketing science.

Holistic Selling - so lautet das Konzept der Zukunft für den B2B-Verkauf, das Prof. Dr. Manfred Krafft, Direktor des Instituts für Marketing, Tim Kalwey, Murali Mantrala und Yeji Lim in ihrer neuen Studie "Holistic Selling – An Emerging Paradigm in B2B Markets" beschreiben. Diese wurde jetzt im Journal of Marketing, A+ Publikation und eines der Top Journals der Marketingwissenschaft, veröffentlicht. 

Professor Dr. Jan vom Brocke from the University of Münster has been elected the next president of the Association for Information Systems (AIS), the global association for Information Systems research and education. He will take up the honorary position on July 1, 2025, leading the international association for a three-year term as its 32nd president – and only the third representative from a German university to hold this office.

Jan vom Brocke holds the Chair of Information Systems and Business Process Management and is Director of the Institute of Information Systems at the University of Münster. He also serves as Academic Director of the European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS). He is considered one of the pioneers in the fields of Information Systems, design-oriented research, and sustainability, and as a founder of the Process Science discipline, which uses digital traces to analyze and improve business processes.

"I am truly honored by the trust placed in me and excited to help shape the future of the AIS," said Jan vom Brocke. "As president, I am particularly committed to strengthening the economic and societal impact and recognition of our discipline." His candidacy was based on a strategic agenda, which includes the proposal of an AIS Impact Agenda – a collaborative initiative to identify key questions and challenges together with stakeholders from business and society and to develop innovative solutions. He also plans to introduce new formats of science communication, such as AI-powered media services, to enhance the dialogue between academia and practice.

Founded in 1994, the Association for Information Systems is a nonprofit organization with members in over 100 countries. It publishes leading academic journals, hosts international conferences, and fosters collaboration between individuals and institutions engaged in the study, teaching, and practice of Information Systems worldwide.

All AIS members across the three strategic regions – the Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa, and Asia-Pacific – were eligible to vote in the election. Jan vom Brocke will succeed Andrew Burton-Jones (University of Queensland, Australia, 30th president) and Dorothy Leidner (University of Virginia, USA, 31st president). Previous presidents from Germany include Claudia Loebbecke (University of Cologne, 11th president) and Helmut Krcmar (Technical University of Munich, 20th president).

Jan vom Brocke has been actively involved with AIS for many years, serving as Vice President for Education and being named an AIS Fellow in recognition of his academic contributions. He brings extensive international experience to his new role: he is Vice Dean for Internationalization at the School of Business and Economics at the University of Münster, Academic Research Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Honorary Distinguished Professor at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and Visiting Professor at the University of Liechtenstein. He is regularly listed among the most influential scholars in Information Systems, as recognized by rankings such as the WirtschaftsWoche and the Stanford study of the world’s most cited researchers.

Links:

You can find the AIS announcement here.

Find out more about Jan vom Brocke here.

Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke von der Universität Münster ist von den Mitgliedern der Association for Information Systems (AIS), dem Weltverband für Forschung und Lehre in der Wirtschaftsinformatik, zum nächsten Präsidenten gewählt worden. Der renommierte Wissenschaftler tritt sein Ehrenamt am 1. Juli 2025 an und wird die internationale Vereinigung drei Jahre lang führen – als 32. Präsident und erst dritter Vertreter einer deutschen Universität in dieser Position.

Professor Dr. Jan vom Brocke from the University of Münster has been elected the next president of the Association for Information Systems (AIS), the global association for Information Systems research and education. He will take up the honorary position on July 1, 2025, leading the international association for a three-year term as its 32nd president – and only the third representative from a German university to hold this office.

The 2025 Design Thinking Seminar successfully launched with its first virtual session. Students from the University of Münster and Georgia College met online for the first time, laying the foundation for a transatlantic, interdisciplinary academic collaboration.

Special thanks go to SAP facilitators Julie Bartholic, Brandi Starks, and Rebecca Reagan-Thieme for delivering an interactive  webinar that combined methodological depth with interactive elements centered around Design Thinking.

Appreciation is also extended to the faculty members who make this international seminar possible year after year: Joy Godin and Jeannie Pridmore from Georgia College, as well as Armin Stein and Katrin Bergener from the Department of Information Systems.

The seminar will continue in May with the visit of the U.S. students to Münster.