Be a good coach!

Mr. Rönisch, you will take over as director of the University Data Centre effective September 1, 2022. When did you decide to submit an application for the position?

The starting point for my decision was a discussion about the services and associated processes offered through the university’s IT department. There were certain aspects that I critically examined during the service consultation. During our consultation, the faculty leadership encouraged me to submit an application for the position of Director of the University Data Centre to support the HSZG. But it wasn’t that simple—as a father of four, I have responsibilities. So I needed my family’s approval. A fortunate turn of events helped. My wife was elected mayor of our town in June of this year and now works locally. Childcare is taken care of, and the application was set.

You come from the department of computer science at HSZG. What areas of responsibility did you cover there, and what overlaps do you see in relation to your new leadership role?

During my 15 years in the field of computer science, I served as Senior Laboratory Engineer / Faculty Manager, responsible for laboratory management, organization, and resource management. Together with the staff, I have realigned our department’s IT infrastructure and related processes in recent years to meet the current and future requirements of teaching and research. My responsibilities included developing concepts and planning the financial resources for individual projects. I can draw on the results and experience gained from this work in my future role as Director of the University Data Centre. The scope of the tasks is comparable, but the scale is significantly larger.

Software, hardware, networks, and access. The University Computing Center’s scope of responsibilities is very broad. That’s why you need a strong team behind you. What can your staff expect from you?

I want to be a good coach for my team and provide my colleagues with expert advice on technical matters. I want to foster a culture of constructive debate to ultimately achieve the best results. I want to manage projects so that every employee takes ownership of their own success and is thereby motivated to tackle the exciting challenges of tomorrow.

What goals have you set for the HRZ?

I want to put the university’s current IT processes to the test and, if necessary, realign them. This will certainly lead to structural changes as well. My vision is a center for digitalization. This center will bring together expertise in the provision and operation of IT systems and networks—taking into account data protection and data security—as well as the technical aspects of e-learning and software management, in order to better align with the needs of staff and students.