Dörte Dannemann is "University of Excellence Coordination Officer " in the Structural Planning and Development Unit, where she is coordinating the preparations for a potential application for funding as a University of Excellence.

You trained as a bank clerk. What made you switch to university?

Dannemann: I quickly realised that I didn't want to stay in banking. Instead, I became interested in European integration and made that the focus of my university studies in Passau and Göttingen, where I took courses on topics such as intercultural communication and EU regional development.

What brought you to Oldenburg?

I originally come from Rastede (not far from Oldenburg) and had already done an internship here at the university when I was still at school. After completing my degree and my first job in the area of research funding at the University of Göttingen, I was lucky enough to find a position as a research funding advisor for EU-funded projects here in Oldenburg. I held this position for seven years before moving to the Technical University of Munich, where I worked both as an EU liason officer and supported the Cluster of Excellence applications processes there. That was the springboard to my new job here at the university.

And what is your job?

I’m coordinating the preparations for a potential application by the University of Oldenburg for funding as a University of Excellence. The prerequisite for this is that the three Clusters of Excellence that the university has applied for are successful. But we can't wait until the decision on the clusters in May to start working on the application because it takes a long time to put together, so the preparations are already in full swing.

How much coordination is needed?

A lot. I don’t do much of the writing on the proposal myself, but I bring together the numerous contributions and text modules provided by the Presidential Board, the central institutions and the faculties. Unlike the Cluster of Excellence applications, a University of Excellence application concerns the entire university, and this is reflected in its preparation.

You’ve worked or studied at five different universities. What do you like about the University of Oldenburg?

You can really feel that “Open to new approaches” is not just a motto, but a reality. There’s a genuine openness to new ideas. The lines of communication are short and the hierarchies are very flat here – and that also goes for interactions with the members of the Presidential Board. This is something that sets Oldenburg apart from many other universities (she grins).

What do you do to relax after a stressful day at work?

Exercise! I love being outdoors in the fresh air, hiking and swimming, and I also love to travel – especially long-distance travel. I enjoy discovering new things and broadening my horizons.

Interview: Henning Kulbarsch