"What's important for me is involving the people here".

A year ago, Dr Nicole Kaiser was elected Provost of the University of Bayreuth, when we all thought that the pandemic and the state of emergency would soon be over. And yet another year of coronavirus followed. In addition, new demands were placed on universities - sustainability, digitisation, transfer - and the high-tech agenda of the Free State of Bavaria brought dynamism to the appointment process. All in all, these were big chunks on the Provost's list of priorities. In an interview with UBTaktuell, she tells us how she is doing.

One year in office as the youngest female provost of a university in Germany - how does it feel?

Nicole Kaiser: “Passt” (Alright), as we say in Franconia with understatement. The time has passed incredibly quickly, a lot has happened, and we’re still in extremely dynamic times. I have to say that I'm very happy that we worked so well as a team this past year. That helped me through my first year to a certain extent.

Does everything still feel unfamiliar or is it already routine?

I don't know if routine ever sets in in a role like this. And to be honest, I hope that routine doesn't set in either. But I think some things are more familiar, yes, I’ve gained some more experience, you get to know certain contexts better - although here, too, I benefit from my previous experience. I don't know how I would have managed without this prior knowledge.

What is the most fun?

When I notice that we can attract exciting people in research and administration to the University of Bayreuth. We have brought really great new people to Bayreuth. When I notice that they are enthusiastic about us, and getting to know these people and their ideas, those are really great moments. And I think it's great to see how teams develop in administration as well. And then to see the fresh thinking that comes out of that and where things are being tackled, that's a good feeling every time.

What would you rather do without in your job?

I really have to think about that... maybe the one or other formal greeting (laughs).

What was it like to go from being a colleague to being the boss?

Sure, it was a change. But because I had already gone from being desk officer to head of department, the move to provost was different but not as serious thanks to this previous experience. I discussed it openly with some colleagues and cleared up any uncertainties, which was good. Now there is more of a "Du" (first-name basis) here at ZUV. It is also a different style of leadership, but it can be just as appreciative.

Is this a change in generation - including in leadership style?

It's not just a question of how we interact with each other and whether we are on a first-name basis or not. And it is not only about generational change - which we are facing everywhere in ZUV. It is also a consequence of the pandemic: the leading of employees working from home remotely with digital tools - all this has to be constantly re-evaluated, tried out, and re-learnt. But yes, obviously, we now have new young managers in place, for example Mr Küffner and Mr Tietze, or we are about to recruit new staff for key central positions; Mr Schatke, Head of Buildings & Grounds Maintenance, is retiring next year. There is a lot going on.

How difficult is it to fill such positions?

We are facing strong competition. It is particularly difficult in the construction sector. That's one reason why the issue of human resources development is at the top of my list; it may not have been so obvious in my first year, but it remains on my agenda.

Which items on your first-year agenda have been ticked off?

It's all rather a process of moving forward, where we have certain focal points that we are always thinking about. I hope we have already been able to show some results. But especially at a time like now, we are growing rapidly, we are in a state of flux, coronavirus is affecting us much longer than we had hoped, and some issues cannot be dealt with to the extent that would be desirable. But of course, we can already take stock a little. For example, 21 new professors have taken up their posts at the University of Bayreuth since April 2021, 12 of them financed by the High Tech Agenda. The implementation of the High Tech Agenda is therefore in full swing. BayBATT has moved into the BAT building, the purchase of land for the seventh faculty in Kulmbach has been notarised, and negotiations for the awarding of the contract for the construction of the Africa Research Building are nearing completion. So, a lot of progress has been made.

Any practical example from Administration?

Yes, in the field of digitalisation, the "formcycle" or form server is being used in more and more areas. We have made really good progress in relocating forms and setting them up as new e-forms. The most recent example is the launch of the form „Bezahlung "externer" Rechnungen / Bewirtungskosten / Kostenerstattung“ (Payment of "external" invoices / hospitality costs / reimbursement of costs). Or the digitalised process of central procurement. It is a real relief for us in Administration and for the research groups that we have digitised everything from procurement to accounting. I am very, very grateful to all the teams involved, from IT to the specialist departments. Because we are really at the forefront of some of these projects in Bavaria.

How do you deal with growth, e.g. through the high-tech agenda, in the professoriate, in the face of simultaneous stagnation of resources in administration?

We are in a very challenging situation - growth in research - hence the establishment and integration of new professorships and research groups always ensure an above-average burden on Administration and on research - then new demands and challenges. The keywords here are: sustainability, digitalisation, transfer, and post-coronavirus operations. At the same time, we don't have the amount of new posts and resources to do it as well as we would like. It's a juggling act. Where do we prioritise? Where can we make things easier? For example, a working group is currently developing some support services for the onboarding of new professors. But yes, I am aware that the next one and a half years will be a hard time.

You also allude to the fact that funds are not getting any more prodigious?

Well put. While many things are becoming more expensive, our finances are not growing at the same rate. Renovations and building maintenance measures, for example in the context of appeals, have become much more expensive in the last two years. And we are also noticing the costs of the pandemic, for example in the areas of management, cleaning, and IT. Some things that could be financed along the way in earlier years are no longer so realistic at present. Very often, I would like to support ideas and measures more financially, or continue start-up financing, but at the moment we have to prioritise our financing.

How would you then define your task with regard to the campus?

I can only try to motivate, explain things, and promote understanding. After all, it's not just the University of Bayreuth that's having this problem, many of my colleagues are suffering as well. We all have these new tasks without getting enough new positions for them. That is a real challenge. But it’s no use complaining. We have to remind ourselves of what's going well and why it's so much fun to be at the University of Bayreuth. And I hear again and again from external students and alumni: Hey, the campus feeling, the short walking distances, that's something you won't find anywhere else.

What are the next major priorities?

For sure, bringing the campus back together and integrating the "newcomers". Overcoming the isolation that arose for many during the coronavirus pandemic. I'm a big fan of personal exchange. Things are not always so easy to share at the moment; where we used to get together on the spur of the moment, we now have to arrange a team meeting. But when some of our colleagues don't have a camera, even that falls through. Even if we are working on it, we can't replace umpteen PCs from one moment to the next. And then there is the e-mail ping-pong. But the University of Bayreuth is built on having everything on your doorstep, and, from my perspective, informal structures have contributed to its success. They have worked so well for 40 years but we currently risk losing them in some areas.

Building an administration on informal structures is not suitable for a crisis.

True, I wouldn’t say that we have built Administration on informal structures. The informal atmosphere and the short walking distances only complement the formal structures. And these create trust and exchange, and good cooperation is indispensable for good working results. That is why I would like to see the greatest possible normality in personal exchange, not a return to the old normal per se. I would like to move towards a new kind of togetherness, I would like to use the tools we have discovered and, for example, advance the use of teams in Administration even more, but I would simultaneously like to revive the advantages that our campus has, the short walking distances, the interaction. It is a really unique selling point of the University of Bayreuth, this communicative tradition.

What are you most looking forward to at the start of your second year as provost?

First of all, to help shape the summer on campus. I want us all to ask ourselves what have we learned in the two years? What do we want to keep and what do we want to do even better? I'm looking forward to seeing people again and meeting new people, and above all to getting their feedback and suggestions, in personal exchange and in conversation. That’s what I’m looking forward to!