At the doctoral graduation ceremony on 19 November 2025, six early-career researchers from the School of Business & Economics celebrated the successful completion of their doctorates. The formal presentation of the doctoral certificates was carried out by the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer.

As part of the ceremony, Jens Böke, Nils Burchardt, Leander Gayda, Janina Wiebringhaus, Carl Philipp Wolff and Yahya Yilmaz were awarded their doctorates.

Bei der Promotionsfeier am 19. November 2025 durften sich 6 Nachwuchswissenschaftler:innen der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät über den erfolgreichen Abschluss ihrer Promotion freuen. Die feierliche Übergabe der Doktorurkunden erfolgte durch den Dekan der Fakultät, Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer.

Im Rahmen der Feier wurden Jens Böke, Nils Burchardt, Leander Gayda, Janina Wiebringhaus, Carl Philipp Wolff und Yahya Yilmaz promoviert. 

This semester, the Dr. Andreas Dombret Doctoral Prize is being presented to Dr. Julia Katharina Hennes. Her summa cum laude dissertation entitled ‘Thriving amid change: An empirical investigation of business adaptation to physical climate risks’ at the Institute for Entrepreneurship under Prof. Dr. David Bendig impressed with its outstanding combination of economic theory and practical implications. The Dr. Andreas Dombret Doctoral Prize, worth €3,000, is funded by the Dr. Andreas Dombret Foundation under the umbrella of the University Foundation of Münster.

In diesem Semester wird der Dr. Andreas Dombret-Promotionspreis an Dr. Julia Katharina Hennes verliehen. Ihre Summa cum laude-Dissertation mit dem Titel „Thriving amid change: An empirical investigation of business adaptation to physical climate risks“ am Institut für Entrepreneurship von Prof. Dr. David Bendig überzeugte durch die herausragende Verbindung von wirtschaftswissenschaftlicher Theorie und praxisrelevanten Implikationen. Der mit 3.000 Euro dotierte Dr. Andreas Dombret-Promotionspreis wird von der Dr. Andreas Dombret‑Stiftung unter dem Dach der Universitätsstiftung Münster finanziert.

In part 22 of our Alumni Stories, we introduce Dr. Ute Paukstadt. After completing her studies at the University of Duisburg-Essen, she pursued a PhD in Information Systems at the University of Münster. Following her doctorate, she began her professional career as a lecturer in IT systems and IT management at the University of Applied Sciences for Police and Public Administration in North Rhine-Westphalia, while also working as an IT/ERP consultant. In 2021, she joined Evonik, initially as Senior Manager Digitalization, and from 2022 onward she served as Product Owner for Digital Business and Generative Artificial Intelligence. Since April 2025, Ute Paukstadt has been leading an international GenAI team at Evonik, where she is responsible for developing internal AI solutions such as “EvonikGPT” and shaping strategic frameworks and governance structures for the responsible use of generative AI within the company.

In Teil 22 der Alumni Stories stellen wir Dr. Ute Paukstadt vor. Nach ihrem Studium an der Universität Duisburg-Essen entschied sie sich für eine Promotion im Bereich Wirtschaftsinformatik an der Universität Münster. Im Anschluss startete sie ihre berufliche Laufbahn als Dozentin für IT-Systeme und IT-Management an der Hochschule für Polizei und öffentliche Verwaltung NRW und arbeitete parallel als IT/ERP-Consultant. 2021 wechselte sie zu Evonik, wo sie zunächst als Senior Manager Digitalization tätig war und ab 2022 als Product Owner für Digital Business und Generative Artificial Intelligence verantwortlich zeichnete. Seit April 2025 leitet Ute Paukstadt bei Evonik ein internationales Team im Bereich GenAI und entwickelt unter anderem interne KI-Lösungen wie „EvonikGPT“ sowie strategische Konzepte und Governance-Strukturen für den verantwortungsvollen Einsatz generativer KI im Unternehmen.

Change and transformation processes, as well as multiple crises, can create to feelings of overwhelm, uncertainty, and fear – factors that can be paralyzing and exacerbate conflicts. This is where the project “Making the future tasty” comes in: In Tecklenburg, a real-world laboratory is being established that puts the municipal sustainability strategy to practice in a hands-on and inclusive way, strengthening the region’s resilience in dealing with climate change, social division, and global crises. The goal is to transform fear of the future into courage for the future and to encourage people to actively shape their own future. 

The interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary project is being carried out by members of the Center of Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research (ZIN) at the University of Münster – including researchers from the Department of Information Systems.

Dr. Lea Püchel (Chair for Digital Innovation and the Public Sector) is part of the project team and, together with Prof. Dr. Sigrid Kannengießer, is responsible the future module “Sustainable Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in Municipalities.” 

In collaboration with the City of Tecklenburg, the Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE), and the organic farm Wurzeln & Hörner at Haus Hülshoff, concrete solutions for a sustainable future are being developed and tested in the real-world laboratory. The focus is on collaborative learning and action among different stakeholders. 

The project is part of the Innovation Hub “Socio-Ecological Sustainability” at ZIN and the European University Alliance Ulysseus, enabling regional experiences to be integrated into a European context of exchange and transfer process. 

As part of the project, so-called future modules are being developed to address specific transformation challenges connected to the municipality’s sustainability strategy. These modules focus on topics such as: “Transformative Resilience – climatic, ecological, mental,” “Impacts of the food system on planetary and human health,” “Migration, (climate) displacement, and sustainability,” “Sustainable digitalization and artificial intelligence in municipalities,” and “Socially euqitable and inclusive design of energy supply in neighborhoods.” 

Links to this announcement: 

Center of Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research (ZIN) 

Project „Making the future tasty“  

The Innovation Hub “Socio-Ecological Sustainability”

Women+ in Information Systems (Women+) is a new initiative at the University of Münster dedicated to  empowering female students in Information Systems and fostering a strong sense of community from the start of their studies. Whether in the Bachelor’s, Master’s, or further along their academic journey, Women+ aims to help students make their time in Information Systems more connected, supportive, and inspiring. The initiative seeks to create spaces where friendships can grow, ideas can develop, and future paths can take shape together.

In early November, the first event “Nourishing Minds & Hearts #1 – Meet Your Female Faculty!” took place. In a relaxed atmosphere, female staff members from the Department of Information Systems met with students for a first informal get-together. Alongside a few icebreaker activities, there was plenty of room for conversation, networking, and discussions about expectations for the newly launched initiative.

The next meeting will take place on 10 December, this time with a joint visit to the Münster Christmas market!

Looking ahead, Women+ plans to host a range of activities, from informal gatherings to inspiring panel discussions with women from academia and industry, as well as workshops designed to strengthen key skills such as communication and self-confidence.

Women+ welcomes anyone who wants to build a more diverse and inclusive Information Systems community.  The initiative is built on the belief that meaningful progress toward gender diversity is only possible when students of all genders are included and all voices are heard.

On October 28, 2025, this year’s JobHub IT, the career fair for students of computer science and IT-related degree programs, took place in the Schloss Foyer in Münster. Students from all semesters had the opportunity to learn about internships, thesis projects in cooperation with companies, and career entry opportunities in the IT sector. The event provided an excellent platform to connect with potential employers and establish valuable contacts for future career paths.

Am 28. Oktober 2025 fand die diesjährige JobHub IT, die Karrieremesse für Studierende der Informatik und IT-bezogener Studiengänge, im Foyer des Schlosses in Münster statt. Studierende aller Semester hatten die Gelegenheit, sich über Praktika, Abschlussarbeiten in Zusammenarbeit mit Unternehmen sowie über Karriereeinstiegsmöglichkeiten in der IT-Branche zu informieren. Die Veranstaltung bot eine ideale Plattform, um mit potenziellen Arbeitgebern ins Gespräch zu kommen und wertvolle Kontakte für den späteren Berufseinstieg zu knüpfen.

Prof. Jan vom Brocke, Chair of Information Systems and Business Process Management, been awarded the SBE Research Prize for outstanding research achievements. Around 50 guests attended the award ceremony.

The event was opened by Dean Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer, who emphasised the importance of Jan vom Brocke's excellent research for the School. In his laudatory speech, Prof. BerndHellingrath praised him for his exceptional international visibility, his outstanding commitment to the scientific community – ‘Jan lives research in cooperation’ – and his innovative approaches to solving urgent challenges in business and society. In particular, his contributions to design-oriented research, green information systems and process science have made him a true pioneer in business informatics.

After the award ceremony by Prof. Dr Johannes Becker, Vice-Dean for Research and Outreach, Jan vom Brocke gave a presentation on the fundamentals of process science and current developments in this field.

The School of Business and Economics has been awarding the SBE Research Prize since 2023. The three disciplines of Business Administration, Economics and Information Systems alternate annually. This year's selection committee consisted of Prof. Jörg Becker and Prof. Bernd Hellingrath (both Information Systems) as well as previous award winners Prof. Nicole Branger (Business Administration) and Prof. Markus Dertwinkel-Kalt (Economics).

Prof. Jan vom Brocke, Chair of Information Systems and Business Process Management, been awarded the SBE Research Prize for outstanding research achievements. Around 50 guests attended the award ceremony. In his laudatory speech, Prof. Bernd Hellingrath praised Jan vom Brocke for his exceptional international visibility, his outstanding commitment to the scientific community and his innovative approaches to solving urgent challenges in business and society.

Prof. Jan vom Brocke, Inhaber des Lehrstuhls für Wirtschaftsinformatik und Geschäftsprozessmanagement, ist für herausragende Forschungsleistungen mit dem FB4-Forschungspreis ausgezeichnet worden. An der feierlichen Verleihung nahmen rund 50 Gäste teil. Prof. Bernd Hellingrath würdigte Jan vom Brocke in seiner Laudatio für seine außergewöhnliche internationale Sichtbarkeit, sein herausragendes Engagement für die wissenschaftliche Community und seine innovativen Lösungsansätze zur Bewältigung dringender Herausforderungen in Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft.

On October 28, 2025, this year’s JobHub IT, the career fair for students of computer science and IT-related degree programs, took place in the Schloss Foyer in Münster.

Students from all semesters had the opportunity to learn about internships, thesis projects in cooperation with companies, and career entry opportunities in the IT sector. The event provided an excellent platform to connect with potential employers and establish valuable contacts for future career paths.

A variety of companies, including LVM Versicherung, anaptis GmbH and viadee Unternehmensberatung AG, presented their fields of activity and offered exciting insights into current projects and technologies. The fair was further enriched by informative discussions, practical insights, and an open exchange between students, company representatives, and academic staff.

The JobHub IT 2025 was an inspiring and successful event. Our heartfelt thanks go to the Institute for Applied Computer Science, the Executive Director Prof. Benjamin Risse, and Anja Ebbigmann for the excellent organization.

With its ‘Update Wirtschaft’, the School of Business and Economics has successfully created a new format for discussing future issues, economic developments and social contexts. The opening topic, ‘AI disruption – how artificial intelligence is changing the rules of the game in the markets,’ was met with great interest: around 150 attendees filled the Forum Oeconomicum to capacity.

Mit dem „Update Wirtschaft“ hat die Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät erfolgreich ein neues Format für den Austausch über Zukunftsfragen, wirtschaftliche Entwicklungen und gesellschaftliche Zusammenhänge geschaffen. Das Auftaktthema „Die KI-Disruption – Wie Künstliche Intelligenz die Spielregeln der Märkte verändert“ stieß auf große Resonanz: Rund 150 Interessierte sorgten für ein voll besetztes Forum Oeconomicum.

We are very pleased to welcome Prof. Daniel Villela from the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz, Brazil) to the University of Münster. His research stay takes place within the framework of the Brazil Chair Program, funded by the Brazilian research agency CAPES.

Prof. Villela’s work in Münster is integrated into the Interdisciplinary Center for Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Disease Dynamics (IMMIDD), where the group of Prof. Dr. Bernd Hellingrath (Information Systems) and the Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and General Medicine, led by Prof. Dr. 

André Karch, jointly explore new approaches to the mathematical modeling of infectious diseases and their integration into data-driven decision-making processes.

Over the next two years, Prof. Villela will further develop his modeling approaches in close collaboration with the research teams in Münster, aiming to integrate different methodological perspectives and create innovative solutions for epidemiological research.

His stay marks the beginning of an exciting new phase of scientific collaboration between Münster and Brazil and further strengthens the partnership between the University of Münster and Fiocruz in the field of epidemiological modeling.

For her volunteer work and academic achievements, Tran Ha Linh Phan has been awarded the DAAD Prize 2025 by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The Vietnamese student has been pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems at the University of Münster since the winter semester 2022/23.

“From the very beginning, she has demonstrated outstanding academic performance and has enriched our courses with perspectives from her Vietnamese background,” praised Prof. Dr. Michael Quante, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Transfer, and Sustainability, during the award ceremony at the Botanicum – House of Studies. “Her social engagement reminds us that the university is not only a place for careers but also a space for humanity.”

Tran Ha Linh Phan has consistently advocated for dialogue and social issues. As a member of the university’s UNICEF group, she volunteers in the social media team and organizes charity runs as well as projects with partner organizations. As a volunteer for “Volunteers for Peace Vietnam,” she promotes intercultural exchange in Vietnam. The former student of Chuyen Ngoai Ngu High School in Hanoi also volunteers to support younger students, advising them on studying in Germany. Through the University of Münster’s buddy program, she helps international freshmen navigate their everyday academic life.

The DAAD Prize for Outstanding Achievements of International Students at German Universities is endowed with €1,000. The award aims to send a signal that international students are a valuable enrichment to the university community. In addition, the University of Münster uses the prize to express its appreciation for its international students and their contributions to society. The DAAD Prize is funded by the DAAD with resources from the German Federal Foreign Office (AA).

German Text and Foto: Brigitte Heeke, Communication and public relation, University of Münster

For her volunteer work and academic achievements, Tran Ha Linh Phan has been awarded the DAAD Prize 2025 by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The Vietnamese student has been pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems at the University of Münster since the winter semester 2022/23.

Für ihr ehrenamtliches Engagement und ihre akademischen Leistungen hat der Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst (DAAD)  Tran Ha Linh Phan mit dem DAAD-Preis 2025 ausgezeichnet. Die Vietnamesin studiert seit dem Wintersemester 2022/23 im Bachelor Wirtschaftsinformatik an der Universität Münster und arbeitet als Mitglied der UNICEF-Hochschulgruppe ehrenamtlich im Social-Media-Team und organisiert Spendenläufe sowie Projekte mit Kooperationspartnern. Der DAAD-Preis für hervorragende Leistungen internationaler Studierender an deutschen Hochschulen ist mit 1.000 Euro dotiert.