2nd Update Economics: Lively discussion on Germany’s future
Can Germany still have a future? This question was at the centre of the lecture by Prof. Dr. Nils Foege, Head of the Institute for Innovation, Strategy and Organization, at the 2nd Update Economics event. In short, his answer is: yes – if we want it to be, and if we shape digitalisation and sustainability together. How this can be achieved was also a key focus of the subsequent discussion with the audience and moderator Prof. Dr. Johannes Becker. The event concluded with the statement: “The future is not a state – it is a decision,” marking another successful edition of the “Update Economics” series.
Dr. Adam Widera’s 25th Anniversary at the University of Münster
For many years, Dr. Adam Widera has shaped the Department of Information Systems at the University of Münster with his dedication and expertise. His academic journey at the university began early: while studying political science, philosophy, and political economy, he worked as a student assistant at the Institute for Political Science from 2002 to 2005.
Afterwards, he worked initially as a research associate at the Chair of Political Science and International/Comparative Political Economy before joining the Department of Information Systems in 2006. There, he first served as a project coordinator in the BMBF-funded project “Computer-Assisted Higher Education”, at the Chair of Information Systems and Controlling. He later supported the Chair of Information Systems and Logistics as managing director and lecturer, where he discovered his passion for humanitarian logistics and crisis management and completed his doctorate in this field.
In December 2013, Adam Widera and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd Hellingrath founded the ERCIS Competence Center Crisis Management (C³M). As Managing Director, he plays a key role in shaping the center’s work and future development. Over the past years, he has successfully acquired several national and international research projects, helping C³M become an important actor within various research and practice networks. In 2020, Adam Widera additionally took on the role of Deputy Managing Director of the department and, since this year, has joined the executive board of the ERCIS Flow Factory as managing director.
On the occasion of his 25th anniversary, we asked him a few questions:
You originally studied political science, philosophy, and economic policy – how did you end up at the Department of Information Systems?
After completing my magister degree, I contributed to a study and quickly realized that I was missing a stronger practical orientation and greater research impact. At the same time, I was involved in an EU project in which the Department of Information Systems was also participating through our current director, Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke. Through this, I came across the exciting project “Computer-Assisted Higher Education,” where a position as project coordinator had become available. I did not hesitate for long and applied immediately. Information Systems quickly became my new academic home.
You have been working at the department for many years – first as a project coordinator and later as a research associate at the Chair of Information Systems and Logistics, where you also completed your doctorate. Which projects or experiences were particularly formative for you during this time?
I could name many highlights here. However, if I had to emphasize one project, it would be DRIVER+, the largest EU-funded crisis management project to date, involving more than forty partners from across Europe. The project was not only interesting because, as the competence center, we were able to test and evaluate various research results together with crisis management practitioners under realistic conditions, but also because, as the only university institution in the consortium, we were able to develop and test a novel, practice-driven evaluation approach – the Trial Guidance Methodology (TGM) – in collaboration with the European Commission’s Joint Research Center. Unfortunately, the reality of research funding is often that project results are forgotten once a project ends. With TGM, however, things were very different. The methodology was adopted by many stakeholders in security research and applied in numerous initiatives and research projects. A particular highlight last year was certainly receiving the Security Innovation Award from the European Commission and DG HOME in the category “Best Open Source Innovation 2025.”
You have been Managing Director of the ERCIS Competence Center Crisis Management (C³M) since 2013. How have the center and your work there evolved over the past few years?
After initially focusing on logistical processes and information systems in international disaster management, we increasingly expanded our perspective toward European and regional challenges through successfully acquired research projects. Especially since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, our research has focused more strongly on national and municipal civil protection. Alongside this development, our stakeholder landscape has broadened significantly, so that in addition to international non-governmental organizations, various emergency response organizations and public authorities have become long-standing practice partners.
The entire department thanks Adam Widera for his excellent work, loyalty, and continued commitment. We look forward to many more years of successful collaboration.
Digitaler Infotermin für Studieninteressierte: Wirtschaftswissenschaften stellen sich vor
Am 11.06.2026 haben Studieninteressierte die Möglichkeit, via Zoom mehr über die Studiengänge der Wirtschaftswisenschaftlichen Fakultät zu erfahren. Im Rahmen der ZSB-Reihe "Uni kennenlernen - Studieren an der Universität Münster" stellt Programmmanager Dr. Jan Niklas Dörseln die Bachelor in Betriebswirtschaftslehre (BWL), Volkswirtschaftslehre (VWL), Wirtschaftsinformatik und die interdisziplinären Studiengänge vor, gibt Einblicke in den Studienalltag und beantwortet Fragen rund ums Studium.
Windsurf Seminar 2026
In May, 38 participants took part in the windsurfing seminar in Hvide Sande, Denmark, in cooperation with the HSP Windsurf School (windsurf instructors: Jenny Weiß and Rolf Lexen). The seminar was organized by Janis Elmer and Tobias Zimmermann from the Institute for Information Systems.
Four courses participated in the seminar: the Bachelor’s course Urban Analytics and the Master’s courses Efficient Machine Learning, Flow Factory: TideStats, and Flow Factory: TideTalks.
As part of the bachelor’s seminar “Urban Analytics”, led by Ann-Kathrin Meyer and Johannes von Ivernois, students explored the fundamentals of location-based services and examined the intersection between spatial and content analysis. They worked with a large-scale dataset of georeferenced Twitter messages or with self-selected georeferenced datasets.
The master’s seminar “Efficient Machine Learning”, led by Nina Herrmann, Jorunn Mense, and Jan Pauls, provided students with an interest in machine learning with in-depth knowledge of advanced topics, particularly through the reproduction and summary of current scientific papers on topics such as efficient vision transformers, self-supervised learning, and related approaches.
The seminar “Flow Factory: TideStats”, led by Josephine Moritz, Phlipp Michels, and Tobias Zimmermann, focused on practically relevant research questions, in particular the investigation of the impact of artificial intelligence on employees. Master’s students learned and applied scientific methods, with a special focus on quantitative data analysis using R, and conducted their own research project on “AI & People”.
The master’s course “Flow Factory: TideTalks”, led by Fumi Kurihara, Paul Brützke, and Janis Elmer, addressed practically relevant research questions from the Flow Factory, in particular the investigation of the impact of artificial intelligence on users. Students learned and applied qualitative methods, with a special focus on conducting interviews, and carried out their own research project on human–AI interaction.
In addition to the final presentations, there was also time for a sports: with perfect weather, participants enjoyed windsurfing together and exchanging ideas along the Danish North Sea coast.
Einladung zum Women-in-Finance Event
Weibliche Talente im Finanzbereich zu vernetzen und zu stärken – das ist das Ziel des Women-in-Finance Events, das am 22. Juni 2026 in Kooperation mit dem „Finest in Finance“-Programm stattfindet.
Die Veranstaltung steht nicht nur Mitgliedern des Programms offen, sondern richtet sich ausdrücklich auch an externe Interessentinnen. Eingeladen sind insbesondere Studentinnen aus Bachelor und Master, die sich vertieft für Themen rund um Finance interessieren.
Celebratory Doctoral Graduation: Congratulations!
At the doctoral graduation ceremony on 13 May 2026, nine early-career researchers from the School of Business & Economics celebrated the successful completion of their doctorates. The formal presentation of the doctoral certificates by the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer, took place in the Aula of the Schloss.
As part of the ceremony, Charlotte Czernietzki, Christina Englisch, Fiona Höllmann, Alina Herting, Julian Lanfer, Matthias Neugebauer, Marika Platz, Shariga Sivanathan and Lena Stein-Warburg were awarded their doctorates.
Feierliche Promotion: Herzlichen Glückwunsch!
Im Rahmen der Promotionsfeier der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät am 13. Mai 2026 konnten 9 Nachwuchswissenschaftler erfolgreich ihre Promotion abschließen. Die feierliche Übergabe der Doktorurkunden durch den Dekan der Fakultät, Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer, fand in der Aula des Schlosses statt.
Geehrt wurden Charlotte Czernietzki, Christina Englisch, Fiona Höllmann, Alina Herting, Julian Lanfer, Matthias Neugebauer, Marika Platz, Shariga Sivanathan und Lena Stein-Warburg.
Studentische Hilfskraft
PIONEER graduate Jonathan Grundmann wins Materna Graduate Award
Jonathan Grundmann’s master’s thesis, titled “Decoding Bureaucracy: Towards a Process Mining Method for Public Administration,” has been awarded first place in the Materna Graduate Award. The Materna Graduate Award recognizes outstanding theses in the field of digitalization and supports young talents as well as innovative solutions for the digital transformation of public administration.
In his thesis, Jonathan Grundmann examines why process mining holds great potential for public administration but has rarely been used in a systematic way. The focus is organizational, technical, and structural challenges that hinder broader adoption. His analysis shows how data-driven process analysis can make administrative workflows more transparent, uncover optimization potentials, and thereby contribute to more efficient and modern administrative structures.
The thesis was supervised by Michael Räckers and Sandro Franzoi from the Department of Information Systems at the University of Münster.
Jonathan Grundmann is a graduate of the Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Public Sector Innovation and eGovernance (PIONEER). This interdisciplinary program is a joint degree offered by KU Leuven (Belgium), Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia), and the University of Münster (Germany), and combines expertise in public administration, public management, information systems, and eGovernance.
Links related to this news
2. Update Wirtschaft: Lebhafte Diskussion über Deutschlands Zukunft
Kann Deutschland noch Zukunft? Diese Frage stand im Mittelpunkt des Vortrags von Prof. Dr. Nils Foege, Leiter des Instituts für Innovation, Strategie und Organisation, beim 2. Update Wirtschaft. Kurz zusammengefasst lautet seine Antwort: Ja – wenn wir wollen und wenn wir Digitalisierung und Nachhaltigkeit gemeinsam gestalten. Wie das gelingen kann, war auch ein Schwerpunkt in der anschließenden Diskussion mit dem Publikum und Moderator Prof. Dr. Johannes Becker. Mit dem Fazit „Zukunft ist kein Zustand – sie ist eine Entscheidung“ endete eine weitere gelungene Ausgabe der Veranstaltungsreihe Update Wirtschaft.
Founders of lemon.markets and Syntinels demonstrate the practical relevance of the program in the lecture “Game Theory”
In the Bachelor-level course “Game Theory”, Max Linden, founder of lemon.markets, and Florian Dostert, co-founder of Syntinels, discussed the practical relevance of economic and, in particular, game-theoretic concepts. During their visit, both speakers shared insights into their entrepreneurial journey. They described concrete challenges in market entry, strategic negotiation situations, and the dynamics of competitive environments. A central theme of the session was the discussion on the actual usefulness of formal economic models for entrepreneurial decision-making.
Gründer von lemon.markets und Syntinels zeigen Praxisrelevanz des Studiums in der Vorlesung „Spieltheorie“
In der Bachelor-Vorlesung „Spieltheorie“ diskutierten Max Linden, Gründer von lemon.markets, und Florian Dostert, Mitgründer von Syntinels, die praktische Relevanz ökonomischer und insbesondere spieltheoretischer Konzepte. Im Rahmen ihres Besuchs gaben die beiden Einblicke in ihre Gründerreise. Sie schilderten konkrete Herausforderungen bei der Markteinführung, strategische Verhandlungssituationen sowie die Dynamik im Wettbewerbsumfeld. Zentrales Thema der Veranstaltung war die Diskussion über den tatsächlichen Nutzen formal-ökonomischer Modelle für unternehmerische Entscheidungen.
Münster ranks among the top 5 “Best Business and Management Universities in Germany”
The School of Business and Economics at the University of Münster is once again ranked among the leading institutions for Business and Management in Germany. In the latest “Best Business and Management Universities in Germany Ranking 2026” by Research.com, it ranks 5th nationwide and is thus among the top tier of German Business Schools, alongside other renowned institutions such as the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management.
Two professors from the Department of Information Systems are listed among the “Leading Scientists”: Prof. Jan vom Brocke and Prof. Jörg Becker rank 12th and 20th nationally and 348th and 585th globally. A total of 9,829 researchers specializing in business and management were analyzed for inclusion in the ranking. It is based on bibliometric data and takes into account the number of publications and citations by top researchers.
Further information on the methodology and all results of the ranking can be found here.
CHE Ranking 2026/27: Information Systems Receives Very High Ratings
The latest CHE University Ranking shows that students at the School of Business and Economics are highly satisfied with the general conditions at the University of Münster. More than three quarters of the students rated their study experience with 4 or 5 out of 5 stars – in Information Systems, the figure is as high as 93.6 percent.
The School of Business and Economics performs particularly highly in supporting students at the beginning of their studies. A wide range of services specifically for prospective students and first-year students makes the transition to university life easier and places the School among the top performers in this category.
Students rated the Information Systems program with more than 4 out of 5 stars in the categories overall study situation, teaching quality, support from lecturers, academic support, library facilities, learning and working spaces, and digital learning. The program performed especially strongly in study organization, achieving a score of 4.6 out of 5 stars. In almost all categories, the program scores above the average of German universities.
The CHE University Ranking is the most comprehensive comparison of higher education institutions in the German-speaking world. This year, around 35,000 students at 265 universities and universities of applied sciences (HAW) provided feedback on their study conditions in the subjects of Law, Business Administration, economics, business studies, business informatics, industrial engineering, business psychology, business law and social work.
All the results of the ranking will be published in the ZEIT Study Guide 2026/27 and online at HeyStudium.
CHE Ranking 2026/27: Top marks for the start of studies and student satisfaction
Students at the School of Business and Economics are very satisfied with the general conditions at the University of Münster – as shown by the results of the latest CHE University Ranking 2026/27. More than three-quarters of students rate their study experience with 5 or 4 out of 5 stars – in Information Systems, the figure is as high as 93.6 per cent. The School scores particularly highly for support at the start of studies: a wide range of services places the School among the top performers in this category. The Bachelor’s programme in Business Administration also achieved top marks for the international focus of its teaching and learning.
CHE-Ranking 2026/27: Spitzenwerte für Studienstart und Zufriedenheit unter Studierenden
Die Studierenden der Wirtschaftswissenschaften sind sehr zufrieden mit den Rahmenbedingungen an der Uni Münster – das zeigen die Ergebnisse des aktuellen CHE Hochschulrankings 2026/27. Mehr als drei Viertel der Studierenden bewerten ihre Studiensituation mit 5 oder 4 von 5 Sternen – in der Wirtschaftsinformatik sind es sogar 93,6 Prozent. Besonders punkten kann der Fachbereich bei der Unterstützung zum Studienstart: Vielfältige Angebote führen zu einer Platzierung in der Spitzengruppe in dieser Kategorie. Weitere Spitzenwerte erzielte der Bachelor BWL bei der internationalen Ausrichtung von Studium & Lehre.
Infoveranstaltung zur Promotion in den Wirtschaftswissenschaften
Ihr Studium nähert sich dem Ende und Sie überlegen, ob eine Promotion der richtige Schritt für Sie ist? Dann sind Sie herzlich zu unserer Informationsveranstaltung eingeladen! Am 20.5.2026 um 10:15 haben Sie die Gelegenheit, sich mit Professor:innen und Promovierenden des Fachbereichs Wirtschaftswissenschaften auszutauschen und Ihre Fragen zu stellen. Wir freuen uns darauf, Sie bei dieser Veranstaltung begrüßen zu dürfen!
Münster unter Top 5 der "Best Business and Management Universities in Germany"
Die Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät der Universität Münster zählt erneut zu den führenden Standorten für Business und Management in Deutschland. Im aktuellen „Best Business and Management Universities in Germany Ranking 2026“ von Research.com erreicht sie den 5. Platz. Mit Jan vom Brocke, Jörg Becker, Thorsten Hennig-Thurau und Manfred Krafft sind vier Professoren unter den "Leading scientists" platziert.
Verabschiedung von Jun.-Prof. Dr. Gordon Jochem Klein
Die Volkswirtschaftslehre hat nach über zehnjähriger Zugehörigkeit zur Abteilung Jun.-Prof. Dr. Gordon Jochem Klein verabschiedet. Gordon Klein war seit 2016 am Münster Center for Economic Policy tätig und hatte die Juniorprofessur für Volkswirtschaftslehre, insbesondere Regulierungs- und Industrieökonomik, inne. Wir bedanken uns herzlich für sein langjähriges Engagement in Forschung und Lehre!
New Alumni Story: Stephanie Düker from Genoverband e.V.
In part 25 of the Alumni Stories, we introduce Stephanie Düker. After completing her vocational training as a bank clerk at WGZ BANK AG, she studied Public Administration with a focus on European Studies at the University of Münster, including a year abroad at the University of Twente, and later earned a Master’s degree in Economics in Münster. She began her academic career as a research associate at the Institute of Cooperative Studies (IfG) before moving into cooperative consulting at Genoverband e.V. Today, she leads the educational project “Student Cooperatives – Sustainable Business, Acting in Solidarity,” supporting students in founding and running their own cooperatives based on cooperative principles.
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