Die Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät der Universität Münster hat Prof. Isabel Ramos offiziell zur „Visiting International Professor“ (VIP) ernannt. Im Rahmen des VIP-Programms, das den internationalen wissenschaftlichen Austausch fördert, wurde ihr durch den Dekan der Fakultät, Prof. Dr. Thomas Langer, eine Ernennungsurkunde überreicht. Isabel Ramos ist Professorin an der Universität Minho in Portugal und eine international anerkannte Expertin im Bereich Wirtschaftsinformatik. Sie hat im Sommersemester das Bachelorseminar “AI and Attention in the Organization” am Institut für Wirtschaftsinformatik gegeben.

From May 16 to 18, 2025, the first Transdev Mobility Hackathon took place at the Leonardo campus of the University of Münster. The event was organized by the Innovation and New Markets team in collaboration with Operations Planning and HR at Transdev – part of the Rethmann Group and the second-largest rail and bus company in Germany. 19 students from over 13 countries worked together to develop practical solutions for optimizing school bus routes.  

The goal was to develop route planning that is cost-efficient, regulation-compliant, and reflective of real-world conditions. Using real data, creative ideas, and operational requirements, participants developed impressive prototypes, interactive tools, and smart timetables aimed at making school transportation more efficient and sustainable. 

The software solutions included interactive maps, optimization algorithms, KPI dashboards, budget and resource calculations, as well as live cloud-based demonstrations. Beyond the innovative outcomes, the hackathon offered ample opportunities for networking and exchanging ideas with industry professionals. Some students have already expressed interest in internships or thesis collaborations with Transdev. The winning team received a prize of €1,500. 

The hackathon vividly demonstrated how young talents, real-world data, and operational challenges can come together to create innovative mobility solutions.  

Transdev is a project partner of the European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS). Together, they have launched the Future Mobility Lab – a project that enables students, faculty, and practitioners to contribute to shaping the future of mobility. 

Further information on the Future Mobility Lab can be found here.  

As part of the first Brussels seminar, 17 Bachelor students had the opportunity to travel to the Belgian capital in mid-May and gain a direct insight into European tax policy. The programme included specialist presentations at the European Commission and a seminar at the North Rhine-Westphalian state representation. The Brussels Seminar is a programme offered by the Institute of Public Economics under the direction of Prof. Dr Johannes Becker.

Im Rahmen des ersten Brüssel-Seminars hatten 17 Bachelor-Studierende Mitte Mai die Gelegenheit, in die belgische Hauptstadt zu reisen und einen direkten Einblick in die europäische Steuerpolitik zu erhalten. Auf dem Programm standen Fachvorträge bei der Europäischen Kommission sowie ein Seminar in der Landesvertretung Nordrhein-Westfalens. Das Brüssel-Seminar ist ein Angebot des Instituts für Finanzwissenschaft unter der Leitung von Prof. Dr. Johannes Becker.

Weibliche Talente im Bereich Finance zusammenzubringen - das ist das Ziel des Women-in-Finance Events am 16. Juni 2025, das erstmals in Kooperation mit dem "Finest in Finance"-Programm durchgeführt wird. Das Event steht nicht nur Mitgliedern des Programms offen, sondern lädt ausdrücklich auch externe Interessentinnen im Bachelor und Masterein, die ein vertieftes Interesse am Finanzwesen haben. Sie erhalten die einzigartige Gelegenheit, sich mit anderen ambitionierten Studentinnen zu vernetzen, Einblicke in die Herausforderungen und Erfolge von Frauen in der Finanzbranche zu gewinnen und von inspirierenden weiblichen Vorbildern zu lernen.

In the summer term, we are once again welcoming international guest professors at our department. One of them is Prof. Isabel Ramos from the University of Minho, Portugal. She arrived in April and will stay until May 31. During her stay, Isabel Ramos will teach the bachelor seminar “AI and Attention in the Organization”.

Isabel Ramos is an Associate Professor with Habilitation at the Department of Information Systems (DSI), School of Engineering of the University of Minho in Portugal. She has a PhD in Information Technologies and Systems, specializing in Information Systems Engineering and Management. From 2014 to 2019, she served as a Director of the Doctoral Program in Information Systems and Technologies and is currently President of the Portuguese Association for Information Systems.

Her research focuses on knowledge management, especially how emerging technologies influence the way organizations manage knowledge, foster innovation, and collaborate. A key area of her recent work explores how generative AI can support “AI attention” – the integration of human and machine abilities to detect relevant data, anticipate events, and act on opportunities in real time. Isabel Ramos places strong emphasis on sociotechnical systems, large-scale collaborative platforms, and the mechanisms that make them effective. Her research not only advances academic understanding but also provides practical insights into how organizations can better navigate digital transformation.

What makes her visit especially meaningful is the longstanding collaboration between her home institution, the University of Minho, and the Department of Information Systems of the University of Münster. Both departments share a strong commitment to design science research and focus on the unique challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in adopting advanced technologies. This shared research ethos fosters smooth communication, impactful joint projects, and student-centered initiatives such as summer schools that benefit learners in both countries. Over the past ten years, this partnership has developed into a close academic connection, reinforced through international networks such as @ERCIS (European Research Center for Information Systems), which is headquartered here in Münster. Through ERCIS, both universities engage in European research consortia and global collaborations, further enhancing the international dimension of their work.

We are proud to host Isabel Ramos and look forward to the valuable insights, exchanges, and initiatives her visit will bring to our research and teaching community!

Who can knock the dollar off its throne? - This is the title of an article published by WirtschaftsWoche on the status of the dollar as a reserve currency. In it, the author Saskia Littmann quotes a study by Prof. Bernd Kempa, head of the Institute for International Economics at the University of Münster. Euronews.com also draws on Bernd Kempa's expertise in the recent article “Is Trump destroying the dollar - and what does it mean for the euro?” .

Wer kann den Dollar vom Thron stoßen? - Unter diesem Titel hat die WirtschaftsWoche einen Artikel zum Status des Dollars als Reservewährung veröffentlicht. Darin zitiert die Autorin Saskia Littmann eine Studie von Prof. Bernd Kempa, Leiter des Institutes für Internationale Ökonomie an der Universität Münster. Auch Euronews.com greift im aktuellen Beitrag "Is Trump destroying the dollar - and what does it mean for the euro?" auf die Expertise von Bernd Kempa zurück.  

Wie entstehen Innovationen – und wie können sie helfen, die großen Herausforderungen unserer Zeit zu lösen? Mit diesen Fragen beschäftigt sich im Sommersemester die öffentliche Ringvorlesung „Problem gelöst? Ein interdisziplinärer Blick auf Innovationen“, zu der die Universität Münster ab dem 5. Mai einlädt. Die Vortragsreihe richtet sich an alle Interessierten und findet montags von 16 bis 18 Uhr in der Aula am Aasee oder live über E-Lectures statt. Der Eintritt ist frei, eine Anmeldung ist erforderlich.

Am 02. Mai 2025 fand die feierliche Abschiedsvorlesung von Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jörg Becker im Hörsaal Leo 1 am Leonardo-Campus statt. Zahlreiche Kolleg*innen aus dem gesamten Fachbereich 4, langjährigen Weggefährt*innen, ehemalige und noch aktuelle Doktorand*innen aus drei Jahrzehnten sowie seine Familie nahmen an der Veranstaltung teil. Der Rektor der Universität Münster, Prof. Johannes Wessels, Prof. Christoph Watrin, Prodekan für Finanzen der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät, sowie der Direktor des Instituts für Wirtschaftsinformatik, Prof. Jan vom Brocke, würdigten Prof. Jörg Becker in ihren Grußworten.

Exciting project seminars for bachelor's and master’s students are once again taking place at the Institute of Information Systems this summer semester.

The following project seminars have already started in the bachelor's program:

Eyes Wide Scroll - attention analysis in social media for AI training (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Grimme, Marie Griesbach): To analyze content in modern online media such as social media, pure text analysis is no longer sufficient - images, videos and audio data must also be taken into account. This so-called multimodal analysis is complex and requires a focus on essential content, especially in real-time analyses. The project seminar investigates how image analysis methods can be equipped with a ‘human focus’ - for example, by using eye-tracking data to recognize which image areas are relevant for people. The aim is to further develop analysis algorithms so that they concentrate on these relevant areas. To this end, the Institute's eye-tracking lab is being utilized and expanded in order to conduct experiments and develop initial focus-based analysis methods.

AI for sustainable cities (Comuneo) (Prof. Dr. Tobias Brandt, Ann-Kathrin Meyer, Johannes von Ivernois): Cities play a key role in sustainable development, but are faced with limited resources. Artificial intelligence can help, for example in planning and monitoring, but has so far been little used in the public sector - partly due to high data protection and reliability requirements. Students are working with the start-up Comuneo to develop AI-supported solutions that automatically evaluate digital data sources and transfer them to a platform. In addition to technical implementation, the focus is also on organizational, ethical and regulatory issues.

These project seminars in the master's program had their kick-off:

Future Mobility Lab (Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke, Mara Burger): The Future Mobility Lab is a cooperation between ERCIS and Transdev, the largest private mobility company in Germany. This semester, the seminar focuses on  crises prevention through process optimization. To this end, machine learning techniques and GenAI are being applied to real data from Transdev. In order to better understand crises in local public transport, they will also visit a control center of the S-Bahn Hannover to exchange ideas with the dispatchers there.

Digital entrepreneurship: Building a technology-driven startup (Prof. Dr. Tobias Brandt, Shariga Sivanathan): This semester, the entrepreneurial team from MOTO will be working on their own startup idea for open all-day schools. What makes this seminar special: the participating students already bring a specific, digitally focused business idea to the table, which they will further develop during the course of the project seminar, and it fully counts towards their academic credit.

The Sims, Startup Edition: Simulating entrepreneurial decision-making with Generative AI (Prof. Dr. Tobias Brandt, Shariga Sivanathan): Six students will work together throughout the semester. The aim is to explore how entrepreneurial decision-making can be simulated using Generative AI agents, offering participants an immersive learning experience. 

Hilti Seminar (Prof. Jan vom Brocke, Sandro Franzoi): In this project seminar, students collaborate with the global manufacturing company Hilti to tackle a real-world challenge at the intersection of artificial intelligence and business process management. Their task: to design and develop an LLM-based learning assistant that helps process managers acquire relevant knowledge more efficiently and engagingly – using cutting-edge AI capabilities and Hilti’s real training resources.

We are already looking forward to the results of the project seminars!

In ihrem Vortrag "Sparfüchse aufgepasst! Wie Du schlau mit Geld umgehen kannst" vermittelt Katharina Burmeister, Studienrätin im Hochschuldienst am Institut für Ökonomische Bildung, am 23. Mai 2025 um 16:15 Uhr im Rahmen der Kinder-Uni grundlegende Strategien im Umgang mit Geld. Mit kleinen Denkexperimenten, Beispielen und kindgerechten Erklärungen bereitet die Wissenschaftlerin das Thema in dieser Vorlesung anschaulich und lebendig auf. Eine Anmeldung ist noch bis zum 22. Mai (Donnerstag) um 10 Uhr möglich. 

On May 2, 2025, the farewell lecture of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jörg Becker took place in lecture hall Leo 1 at the Leonardo Campus. Numerous colleagues from across the School of Business and Economics, long-time companions, former and current doctoral students from three decades, as well as his family, attended the event. The Rector of the University of Münster, Prof. Johannes Wessels, the Vice Dean for Financial Affairs, Prof. Christoph Watrin, and the Director of the Department of Information Systems, Prof. Jan vom Brocke, honored Prof. Becker in their welcoming speeches.

Heute startet das Konklave in Rom, bei dem 133 Kardinäle der katholischen Kirche einen neuen Papst wählen. Die Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung hat eine ökonomische Einordnung veröffentlicht, um den streng geheimen Prozess verständlicher zu machen. Einer der zitierten Experten im Artikel von Alexander Wulfers ist Prof. Thomas Apolte, Inhaber des Lehrstuhls für Ökonomische Politikanalyse an der Universität Münster. Er hält es für ausgeschlossen, „dass einfach so ein Kandidat die Zweidrittelmehrheit erreicht.“

Was spricht dafür, nach dem Studium noch zu promovieren? Wie läuft eine Promotion ab und welche Voraussetzungen müssen erfüllt sein? Diese und weitere Fragen konnten Studierende bei einer Informationsveranstaltung mit Professor:innen und Promovierenden der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät diskutieren. Organisiert wurde der Termin von Prof. Verena Rieger, Inhaberin des Lehrstuhls für Unternehmensführung. Neben ihr standen Prof. Nadine Riedel, Leiterin des Instituts für Wirtschaftspolitik und Regionalökonomik, und Prof. Jan vom Brocke, Inhaber des Lehrstuhls für Wirtschaftsinformatik und Geschäftsprozessmanagement, sowie Fiona Höllmann (FCM), Miriam Möllers (WI) und Simon Haastert (CQE) als Promovierende den Studierenden Rede und Antwort.

In part 16 of the Alumni Stories, we take a look at the career of Peer Naubert, Chief Marketing Officer of Bundesliga International GmbH. After studying at the University of Münster and Stanford, his path led him through leading positions in Hamburg, New York, and Shanghai, ultimately bringing him to his current role, where he is responsible for global marketing and the distribution of international media rights for the Bundesliga. In the interview, he shares his experiences and insights into the world of sports marketing.

In Teil 16 der Alumni Stories werfen wir einen Blick auf die Karriere von Peer Naubert, Chief Marketing Officer der Bundesliga International GmbH. Nach seinem Studium an der Universität Münster und Stanford führte ihn sein Weg über führende Positionen in Hamburg, New York und Shanghai schließlich zu seiner jetzigen Rolle, in der er das globale Marketing und den Vertrieb der internationalen Medienrechte der Bundesliga verantwortet. Im Interview teilt er seine Erfahrungen und Einblicke in die Welt des Sportmarketings.

On May 2, 2025, the farewell lecture of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jörg Becker took place in lecture hall Leo 1 at the Leonardo Campus. Numerous colleagues from across the School of Business and Economics, long-time companions, former and current doctoral students from three decades, as well as his family, attended the event.

The Rector of the University of Münster, Prof. Johannes Wessels, the Vice Dean of the School of Business and Economics, Prof. Christoph Watrin, and the Director of the Department of Information Systems, Prof. Jan vom Brocke, honored Prof. Becker in their welcoming speeches. They expressed their gratitude for his outstanding commitment –particularly in establishing and advancing the field of Information Systems in Münster –as well as for the many forward-thinking projects he initiated and shaped.

Jörg Becker then gave his farewell and inaugural lecture titled “The best of both worlds”, in which he reflected on his beginnings at the department and provided insight into his future plans as a senior professor.

The Senior Professorship of Information Management continues the long-standing work of the Chair of Information Systems and Information Management. Jörg Becker and his team conduct research in the fields of process and data modeling. In addition to the development and evaluation of new methods, the focus is on the transfer of results into practice – particularly in the areas of services, e-government, and trade – remains a key focus. Through integration into the European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS), an interdisciplinary approach is pursued that brings together core competencies from information systems, computer science, business administration, and law.

Since 1990, Jörg Becker has profoundly shaped the Department and the field of Information Systems. His research in process management, data management, e-government, information modeling, retail information systems, and hybrid value creation has left a lasting impact. As the founder of ERCIS, he has decisively advanced the network in Information Systems not only throughout Europe, but also internationally.

The Department of Information Systems would like to thank Jörg Becker for everything he has done for the Department and the SBE – for his extraordinary commitment, many years of loyalty, and for preserving the founding spirit that has inspired so many of his colleagues along the way.

Der Münsteraner Gesprächskreis Rechnungslegung und Prüfung e. V. (MGK) lädt am 5. Juni 2025 zum 37. Münsterischen Tagesgespräch in das Mövenpick Hotel in Münster ein. Die kommende Tagung steht unter dem Thema „Nachhaltigkeit im Fokus – Neue Anforderungen an Unternehmensberichterstattung und -bewertung?“ und wird von Prof. Jörg Baetge und Prof. Hans-Jürgen Kirsch von der Universität Münster veranstaltet. Eine Anmeldung ist noch bis zum 19. Mai 2025 möglich.

The first Bootcamp as part of the EU-funded CURATE project took place in Košice on 7 and 8 April. The event was hosted by the Technical University of Košice (TUKE), which is working with five other partner universities in the Ulysseus network to set up an innovative, student-centred incubator programme.

The aim of the CURATE project is to enable students to develop entrepreneurial skills and build AI-supported problem-solving capabilities. A total of around 70 students from the partner universities took part in the boot camp - accompanied by coaches and other project participants.

The University of Münster was represented by 15 students under the direction of Prof Dr Tobias Brandt and Shariga Sivanathan. While eight of them were able to experience the inspiring atmosphere on site in Košice, the other students joined in digitally.

The boot camp offered a varied programme: In addition to practice-oriented workshops on the topic of design thinking, the participants gained exciting insights from expert presentations from the industry as well as targeted coaching sessions. One particular highlight was the keynote speech by Prof Dr Tobias Brandt on the topic of ‘AI-Driven Innovation’. The event not only enabled the students to develop their specialist skills, but also provided them with their first valuable experience of intercultural and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The next boot camp will take place in September at the University of Münster. We are already looking forward to welcoming not only our students, but also our partner universities here in Münster!