New speaker at the HSZG

She speaks Russian fluently, can’t wait to move to the Polish border, and has a very unusual hobby. Ms. Almuth Müller, M.A., is the new advisor to the Rector. In this role, she will take over the management of his office and will be responsible, among other things, for coordinating the interface between the University Executive Board and the faculties, the central departments, the University Administration, and the staff units.

The 36-year-old, who hails from the Ore Mountains, brings a wealth of experience in teaching as a university lecturer as well as in project work in other Eastern European countries.

Furthermore, she has expertise in project management, administration, and adult education, as well as experience as an advocate in the field of higher education policy and in German-Russian/Russian-German translation.

Ms. Müller succeeds Dipl.-Ing. Hella Trillenberg, who is retiring at the end of the year after a career spanning more than 34 years at the university of Zittau/Görlitz.

The Public Relations Office interviewed Almuth Müller.

Ms. Müller, you earned your master’s degree in Politics, Public Administration, and International Relations and most recently worked as a language instructor. What motivated you to submit an application for a position at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences?

Two things. First, based on my experience in Eastern Europe, I wanted to submit an application here in Zittau/Görlitz specifically. I spent six years traveling in Belarus and Russia and majored in Slavic Studies—that is, Russian and Polish—during my first degree. The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences’ close ties, particularly to its partners in the Czech Republic and Poland, convinced me. The second reason was that, thanks to my second degree, a position as an advisor turned out to be my dream job. I wanted to work in a role that bridges administration, strategy, and politics through policy initiatives and programs. And then there’s the international aspect. Here in the tri-border region, all of that comes together.

The university has just come through a summer semester shaped by the pandemic. You’re starting at a time marked by upheaval. How did you prepare for the position as an advisor?

I took a close look at how the university has handled the COVID-19 crisis so far—for example, whether in-person classes were held or everything was online, or whether people were even allowed to enter the building at all. All of this information was available to me on the university’s website.

What is your mindset as you take on this new role? What do you think lies ahead?

I think it’s going to be a very varied role. You have to keep an eye on a lot of things, since there are also many external inquiries. For example, you have to act as an interface between the Rector, the Deans, and the faculties. Perhaps “spokesperson” would be an appropriate term here.

Speaking of “spokesperson”—you’ve worked as a language trainer and tutor for German as a foreign language and lived in Russia for a long time. Where does your interest in the Russian language come from?

I can’t really say for sure. Even as a child, I was very interested in Russian. I sat down and taught myself the Cyrillic alphabet, but I don’t know where that interest ultimately came from. Certainly not from my parents (laughs). Based on their experiences in the former GDR, they were actually rather averse to Russian. In fifth grade, I had a teacher who was a huge fan of Russia. Maybe she influenced me to some extent. She had taken many trips to Russia and, upon her return, would bring us kids little Russian chocolates and rave about the country.

So even in academic careers, the way to the heart is through the stomach. You worked for the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) in Belarus and Russia, among other roles, as a multiplier in the field of higher education policy. What culturally shaped “Russian” perspective on German universities do you bring with you?

German universities are perceived as very professional. The German higher education system is regarded as good and associated with top rankings worldwide. There are many Russian students who are eager to come to Germany to study and who say, “If I have a German college degree, I’ll have something to show for myself and can even return to Russia with it!” The German higher education landscape is held in very high regard.

Incidentally, you’ve also worked for the United Nations in Geneva. What was your role there, and do you see any parallels to your new position?

I was an intern there as part of my second degree program. There are indeed parallels. I organized many UN-wide events as part of my administrative work. I had to mediate a lot between the individual partners and UN organizations and gather the necessary information accordingly.

What are your personal interests? What are your hobbies?

Besides Russian, Polish is a major hobby of mine that I’d like to revive now that I’m living here on the Polish border. Otherwise, I really enjoy cycling and absolutely love swimming, and I’m thrilled about the many opportunities the region offers me in this regard.

You’re a pen pal to a prison inmate. What motivated you to do this?

This is a very important thing for me and for the person I’m writing to. I really enjoy writing—in the traditional way—handwritten letters or postcards to friends when I’m on vacation. I wanted to get involved and decided to combine the two. I thought about what the greatest punishment would be for me. It’s quite clear: if I were locked up, unable to go outside, or unable to see the sky. That’s why I think about the people who are in prison. For me, the time it takes to write a letter is relatively small, but the impact is very significant.

The interview was conducted by Cornelia Rothe, M.A.