Achim Dilling appointed new Chancellor of Ruhr-Universität Bochum
The 51-year-old business economist comes from the University of Passau. He will become Chancellor of Ruhr-Universität Bochum from January 2026.
The 51-year-old business economist comes from the University of Passau. He will become Chancellor of Ruhr-Universität Bochum from January 2026.
The Rectorate of Ruhr-Universität Bochum is delighted to announce the election of Dr. Achim Dilling as the new Chancellor. On January 1, 2026, he will succeed Dr. Christina Reinhardt, who will retire from office after ten years. The University Election Assembly elected the business economist for a ten-year term of office on June 5, 2025. Dilling has been Chancellor of the University of Passau since 2016.
Managing the challenges of change
“On behalf of the Rectorate, I would like to welcome Achim Dilling to Ruhr-Universität Bochum,” says Rector Prof. Dr. Martin Paul. "We are delighted to have gained in him a proven expert with many years of experience in university management and in the private sector. He is an accomplished manager with a background in business administration who will tackle the tasks ahead with verve. In his current position, he has impressively demonstrated that he can manage the challenges of change in particular, making him an excellent fit for our community at the Ruhr-Universität."
Contribution to urban development
Dr. Achim Dilling has played a key role in the strategic and structural development of the Passau campus. In doing so, he has also made a significant contribution to the urban development of the city of Passau and has been committed to the integration of the university and the city.
“The cooperation with Chancellor Dr. Dilling is characterized by trust and shared responsibility for the development of the University of Passau,” said Professor Ulrich Bartosch, President of the University of Passau. "Dr. Dilling confidently led the university administration through the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and ensured that the administration was fully operational even during the change of presidency at that time. In addition, he was Managing Director of the Neuburger Gesprächskreis Wissenschaft und Praxis e. V., to which he provided important impetus. Our best wishes accompany him on his journey."
“The University of Passau was a special place for me - professionally, personally and strategically,” says Achim Dilling, looking back on his previous role. "I am grateful for the many opportunities to shape things, the trust placed in me by the university, the city and the ministry, and for the collaboration with dedicated colleagues. The decision to leave Passau was not an easy one for me. Nevertheless, I am now looking forward to my new role at Ruhr-Universität - an excellent academic location with great academic appeal and social relevance. Being actively involved in this further development, also in the context of the University Alliance Ruhr, is a challenging and meaningful perspective for me - and at the same time an opportunity to develop personally and professionally."
About the person
Dr. Achim Dilling was born on 31 August 1973 in Eschwege in North Hesse. He studied business administration in Göttingen from 1995 to 1999 and received his doctorate from the Faculty of Economics at the Georg-August University of Göttingen in 2002. This was followed by professional positions at Aareal Bank AG, Wiesbaden, and K+S Aktiengesellschaft, Kassel. From 2006 to 2016, Dilling was head of the teaching unit for general business administration at the University of Passau, during which time he received several awards for good teaching. He has been Chancellor of the University of Passau since December 2016. Among other things, Dilling is currently Chairman of the Administrative Board of the Studentenwerk Niederbayern/Oberpfalz, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Passau University Foundation and a member of the Advisory Board of AOK-Bayern. He is also a member of the Association of Chancellors of German Universities and a member of the university finance working group.