Enno Aufderheide receives honorary doctorate from University of Bucharest

On 12 October 2023, the Secretary General of the Humboldt Foundation was the recipient of a special honour. For his exceptional commitment to science strategy, diplomacy and science management as well as for his contribution to promoting academic relations between Germany and Romania, Dr Enno Aufderheide was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bucharest. Back in 2018, he had already received the National Order of Faithful Service at commander level – the highest accolade for science and research in Romania.

In his laudation, Professor Dr Bogdan Murgescu, Vice Rector of the University of Bucharest and Humboldtian, emphasised the exceptional commitment of the scientist, science manager, humanist and passionate ornithologist to science diplomacy and cultural understanding: “Dr Aufderheide furthered a vision of science based on values like Wissenschaftsfreiheit, freedom of science above all else, and science as diplomacy of trust.” The University of Bucharest thanked him for his continued engagement for the Romanian scientific community and for promoting academic exchange. Romania currently boasts 450 Humboldtians of whom more than 200 live and work in the country.  Thanks to his frequent visits and meetings with representatives of various research funding organisations, said Murgescu, Enno Aufderheide knew all about the complex challenges facing the Romanian science system and particularly supported the return of (young) researchers to Romania.

In his acceptance speech, Enno Aufderheide praised the trusting collaboration and referred to the Romanian Humboldtians’ enormous commitment: “Of course, I think with special gratitude of those who have contributed to the growth and vitality of the Humboldt family in Romania – as ambassador scientists of the foundation or as presidents of the Humboldt Club in Romania.” He stressed: “Ultimately, academic collaboration is not just a means to achieve research results: it is equally important for mutual understanding. Therefore, we at the Humboldt Foundation are convinced that academics are more than researchers. They are also anchors of an international community of people with an impact that far outreaches academic circles.”

On 1 July 2010, Enno Aufderheide was appointed Secretary General of the Humboldt Foundation. From 2006 to 2010, he was head of the Research Policy and External Relations Department at the Max Planck Society in Munich where he played a key role in the Society’s internationalisation strategy. Enno Aufderheide studied biology at the universities of Bielefeld and Bonn and was a Fulbright scholar at the University of Colorado in Boulder, United States. He wrote his dissertation at the Max Planck Society’s Friedrich Miescher Laboratory and was awarded a doctorate by the University of Tübingen in 1988.

For additional information on his CV, visit here.