Solemn investiture
On June 6, 2025, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kratzsch was formally inaugurated for his second term as Rector of the HSZG.
On Friday, June 6, 2025, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kratzsch was officially inaugurated for his second term as Rector of Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. The inauguration ceremony took place in the Citizens’ Hall of the town hall in the university town of Zittau.
Welcoming remarks and words of inspiration for the inauguration were delivered by the mayors of the university towns of Zittau and Görlitz, Thomas Zenker and Octavian Ursu. Minister of State Sebastian Gemkow delivered the official inaugural address. The Chair of the University Council, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Welf-Guntram Drossel, performed the symbolic inauguration. Miriam Meyer also spoke as a representative of the Student Council, while Prof. Stefan Kornhuber, on behalf of the Senate, and Tom Walter, on behalf of the Staff Council, extended personal congratulations to the Rector. Following the formal ceremony, the university hosted a reception.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kratzsch was re-elected Rector by the Extended Senate on November 8, 2024, in the first round of voting. His second term began on March 1, 2025, and runs through February 28, 2030. A native of Freiberg, he had been a professor at the HSZG since 2011 and has led the university since 2020.
For me, the continued development of our university is far more than just a task—it is a matter close to my heart. It is about consolidating what we have already achieved, systematically expanding initiatives we have started, and boldly breaking new ground. The visible progress of recent years demonstrates what we can accomplish as a community. I want to build on that: with a clear strategy, open dialogue, and the firm goal of positioning the HSZG for a sustainable and forward-looking future.
”Here you will find the Rector's speech from the investiture ceremony on June 6, 2025.
The Prime Minister of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, also sent his congratulations on this festive occasion.
Professor Kratzsch is a valuable asset to Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, to students in Lausitz, and to Saxony’s academic community. Since 2020, as Rector, he has been driving visible change with great dedication and foresight and setting a decisive course for the future. These include modern learning concepts, close partnerships with regional companies and global stakeholders, as well as forward-looking new degree programmes and academic collaborations. For many years, he has contributed his expertise to Saxony’s academic community. Even before his tenure as Rector, he shaped projects with regional and academic significance as a researcher and project manager. I am pleased that the university has continued to develop successfully under his leadership, and I wish him much creativity, joy, and success for his second term.
”Looking Back: A First Term Full of Challenges and New Initiatives
During his first term, Prof. Kratzsch steered the university through the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the establishment of digital and hybrid teaching formats—an important cornerstone for the university’s digital transformation.
Under his leadership, the “University-for-Future Process” (U4F) was introduced, a participatory development program and central project aimed at securing the university’s future amid structural changes in the region. Among other outcomes, this led to the strategy paper “University Development 2030+,” which sets out sustainable goals in the areas of digitalization, International Affairs, research, knowledge transfer, and climate and resource protection.
The university has also continued to evolve structurally under his leadership: The establishment of the Saxon Film Academy, the inauguration of the mobile learning center for STEM education as part of the major project “Zukunftslernort Oberlausitz” (ZukLOS), and its active role in the Hi!Lusatia e. V. science network are visible successes. In addition, Prof. Kratzsch serves as vice chair of the Saxon Conference of Rectors of Universities of Applied Sciences and as the state’s spokesperson for the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK).
Outlook: The University as a Promising Hub for Education and Innovation
For his second term, Prof. Kratzsch has a clear vision: The HSZG should be a “university of the future”—rooted in the region, globally connected, digitally advanced, and socially impactful.
Plans include, among other things, the establishment of a Center for Digitalization, the development of new, practice-oriented degree programs—such as in Civil Engineering, semiconductor technology, and teacher training with a special education component—as well as the strengthening of the KIA model (Cooperative Study with Integrated Training).
In line with the “Third Mission,” Prof. Kratzsch is committed to even closer collaboration with regional and international partners. In addition, Prof. Kratzsch has set out to further advance the strategic educational initiative “ZukLOS.” Through this initiative, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences aims to promote STEM education in the region through extracurricular programs. “I see the university’s development as a collaborative process. It’s about combining our own ideas with the potential of others—for a strong university in a strong region, ” said Prof. Kratzsch.
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