uni'alumni 2012_ENG

Dorothea Rüland’s work has led her to all of the continents. When preparing for a trip to a new country, she doesn’t just study the numbers and facts but also familiarizes herself with its history and literature. Photo: DAAD Colorful, down to earth, inquisitive: These are the adjectives Dr. Dorothea Rüland uses to ­describe her alma mater. That’s quite a comple- ment, coming as it does from a woman who is ­familiar with universities and higher education ­systems all over the world. As secretary general of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), she puts universities in contact with one another and helps them to organize exchange programs in academics and research. In April 2011 she was also appointed to the Freiburg University Council. She decided to study at the University of Freiburg for pragmatic reasons more than anything else, says Rüland: She wanted to stay near her hometown Karlsruhe. The question of what she wanted to study, on the other hand, was not as easy to answer: “I was interested in a lot of fields of study. I’m something of a generalist.” Admissions restrictions for medicine introduced in 1974 – the same year Rüland applied – stood in the way of a course of study in this field, so she ended up en- rolling in a double degree program: A teacher ­education program in German studies and history, and a magister program in musicology. Explore, Discover, Experience Her years in Freiburg were characterized by “enormous freedom” and the “offshoots of the ­student protest movement of the late 60’s.” The ­desire to experience and discover new things is still with her today. Rüland thus feels right at home at the DAAD. “I find it exciting to travel a lot, work together with people from around the world, and get to know other cultures.” Her work has led her to all of the continents. When preparing for a trip to a new place, she doesn’t just study the numbers and facts but also immerses herself in the customs, the history, and the literature of the country. Internationality is a key word for the DAAD secre- tary general with regard to the future of the univer- sity: “We live in a globalized world. Universities profit from close cooperation in teaching and ­research.” But this requires a coherent strategy: “Hundreds of partnership agreements are often not even worth the paper they’re written on. It just isn’t possible to fill so many partnerships with life.” ­Instead, Rüland advises universities to concen- trate on a few selected partnerships. She sees Freiburg on the right track with its recently signed partnership agreement with the American top uni- versity Harvard. A Life Abroad Her four children grew up in an international ­environment: Two of her daughters first saw the light of the world in Thailand, where Rüland served for five years as a lecturer at Chiang Mai University. Her third daughter was half a year old when the family moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, where Rüland also spent five years as director of a DAAD branch office, and while there the couple adopted a girl who was a close friend of their daughters. “It was our children who had the idea. My husband and I said: Good, we’ll do it – if you don’t mind sharing your things with another sister.” The family finally ended up settling down in Bonn, where the DAAD headquarters is located. Dorothea Rüland’s hus- band, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rüland, commutes between Bonn and Freiburg – where he serves as a professor in international politics. Rimma Gerenstein Learning ­without End DAAD Secretary General Dorothea Rüland Has Spent Time in Many Different Countries PORTRAIT 17