A farewell is followed by a new beginning

Dr Andreas Grandel worked at the University of Bayreuth for 20 years. "Dr Grandel was a long-standing constant at the University, who played a key role in shaping the development of the IT Service Centre over the last two decades and always carried out his duties with the utmost reliability," says Dr Nicole Kaiser, Chancellor of the University of Bayreuth.

Grandel succeeded Dr Friedrich Siller in 2003. As a mathematician with a doctorate, Grandel first worked as an officer in Munich, then as a research assistant at the Computer Centre of the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich, where he was subsequently appointed Information Technology Officer. Before coming to the University of Bayreuth as Head of the IT Service Centre, he set up and managed the information technology group for the central departments. Dr Andreas Grandel has initiated many topics and implemented many projects at the University of Bayreuth over two decades. His commitment to information security, the expansion of the network, the establishment of high-performance computers and the comprehensive provision of multifunctional devices are just a few examples. "The range of work performed by the head of the IT service centre is enormous," Kaiser also emphasises. "That's why it would be wrong to single out one area. Instead, I would like to thank him for all of his work and the always pleasant and constructive collaboration."

The new Head of the IT Service Centre came to the University of Bayreuth from the University of Wuppertal on 1 January 2024. In Wuppertal, he was also Head of the Centre for Information and Media Processing and had previously gained experience in IT management as Deputy Director of the Regional Computing Centre at the University of Cologne. Dr Hans-Jörg Bauer originally studied mathematics at the Technical University of Munich.

"I'm particularly looking forward to working with the people at the University of Bayreuth," says Bauer. "Of course, this applies to the faculties and departments as well as the work in committees or the cooperation with various UBT institutions and the administration and, of course, not least with my colleagues in ITS."