Dr. Nina Lemmens Appointed Managing Director of the University Alliance Ruhr

After completing her studies in Bonn, Lemmens began her career at the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), where she worked for 22 years, including two extended assignments abroad. Particularly formative were her five years in New York, where she headed the DAAD North America office and worked closely with the University Alliance Ruhr’s liaison office. “During that time, I gained deep insights into the work and dynamics of UA Ruhr and became very familiar with its structures,” she explains.

“We are delighted to have appointed Dr. Nina Lemmens as Managing Director of the UA Ruhr Management Office,” says Prof. Dr. Barbara Albert, spokesperson of the University Alliance Ruhr and Rector of the University of Duisburg-Essen. “She leads the new Management Office, which brings together all coordination and administrative tasks of our alliance. The goal is to provide a new administrative framework through joint, professional management for the University Alliance Ruhr, which has grown significantly and become more closely connected—enabling us to achieve even more together.”

In addition to her international experience, Lemmens headed the DAAD’s communications department for many years—expertise she now contributes in her role as Managing Director. She then spent seven years working in foundations, including positions in Hamburg and Bonn, with a focus on science, education, and sociopolitical engagement. One particularly influential initiative was the “House of Democracy” project. “Universities are pillars of democracy because they educate young people and enable free research,” Lemmens emphasizes. She intends to incorporate this broader societal perspective into her future work at UA Ruhr.

Lemmens explains her move to UA Ruhr by pointing to the alliance’s unique strength: “Collaborations like this are powerful instruments for addressing the major challenges of today and tomorrow.” International networks play a key role in this context. With three liaison offices covering North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe/Central Asia, she sees strong potential to further expand UA Ruhr’s strategic international connections.

About the Management Office

The Management Office was established under UA Ruhr’s new cooperation agreement. It brings together the former administrative office and the administration of the Research Alliance Ruhr. Following the successful start-up phase, the Managing Director of the Research Alliance, Jürgen Hein, will continue to support the transition until the end of the month before returning to Düsseldorf. All other staff members will continue their work for UA Ruhr under the leadership of the new Managing Director.