Professor Dr. Esther Ruigendijk has been Vice President for Early Career Researchers and International Affairs at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg since January 1, 2016.

Professor Ruigendijk studied Dutch language and literature at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, where she also received her PhD. Thereafter she spent a period engaged in postdoctoral work and teaching at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. Professor Ruigendijk has been Professor of Dutch Linguistics at the Institute of Dutch Studies at the University of Oldenburg since 2005, initially as Junior Professor, since 2010 as Full Professor.

She was awarded the 2007 "Niedersächsischer Wissenschaftspreis für Nachwuchswissenschaftler" (Lower Saxony Scientific Award for Young Researchers and Scientists) and served as Dean of Studies of the University of Oldenburg’s Faculty III (School of Linguistics and Cultural Studies) from 2009 to 2011, also chairing the cross-faculty Study Commission during this time.