The career path of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bremen began with two vocational training programmes. Passing the Z-exam gained her entry to university in Oldenburg. Why, for Jutta Günther, even detours can lead to success.

Ms Günther, how does one build a career that takes you from being a pharmacy assistant to becoming a university vice-chancellor?

Prof. Dr Jutta Günther: I was always curious to see what other career paths were open to me. After completing two apprenticeships in the pharmaceutical sector, I gained my first insights into the world of science as a technical assistant at the Free University of Berlin. A project in Colombia, which involved the manual production of medicines, sparked my interest in development economics. That’s why I wanted to study social and economic sciences. At the University of Oldenburg, this was possible after a year of preparation via the so-called ‘Z-exam’. After holding various positions in research and academia, I was appointed to my professorship in Economics at the University of Bremen, where I have been Vice-Chancellor for almost four years. My journey has been marked by many ups and downs and, given my family’s lack of an academic background, was by no means a foregone conclusion.

You are open about the fact that your career path has not been a straight one – why is that?

Prof. Dr Jutta Günther: Some people view non-linear careers as a flaw. By emphasising that I studied via adult education, I want to encourage people, for example, to reorient themselves professionally or to catch up on their university entrance qualifications. Starting a degree straight after school or later on is neither better nor worse. But of course, someone with a wide range of professional experience brings different skills to the table. So what initially appears to be a detour can actually lead to success.

A question for the economist: How important is it to be able to change career direction and undertake further education?

Prof. Dr Jutta Günther: Without a flexible education system, an enormous number of opportunities would be missed. Discovering new skills over the course of a career is incredibly valuable, not only from an individual perspective but also for the economy as a whole. We live in very dynamic times, and not just in terms of technological development. That is why continuous further education and upskilling are so important. We should encourage people to develop themselves through lifelong learning – and to push themselves to their limits in the process.

If further education is so crucial for the transformations ahead – should universities place greater emphasis on lifelong learning?

Prof. Dr Jutta Günther: The University of Oldenburg has always been a leader in further education, as I noticed even during my time as a student. The capacity and opportunities are significantly greater than here in Bremen, for example. It is a strategic question as to what extent universities should meet the existing demand for further education. If the answer is yes, the federal states would need to provide their universities with the necessary resources.

The universities of Bremen and Oldenburg are pursuing a shared path in the race for excellence. This path brings you back to Oldenburg from time to time, a good 30 years after you first entered higher education …

Prof. Dr Jutta Günther: The Haarentor campus, where we students sat our Z-exams together and celebrated, brings back many fond memories. The fact that I am now able to help shape the Northwest Alliance alongside the University of Oldenburg – the institution that opened the door to the academic world for me – is simply fantastic.