New top management at the Faculty of Health

The Faculty of Health at Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) will have a leadership tandem for the first time from autumn 2021: Prof. Dr Margareta Halek, Head of the Department of Nursing Science, and Prof. Dr Stefan Zimmer, Head of the Department of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, will take over the Faculty Office in a so-called tandem model.

"This new leadership model stands for innovation, interdisciplinarity and multi-professionalism, for new forms of academic self-organisation and for a courageous and forward-looking step," says UW/H President Prof. Dr Martin Butzlaff.

The new management constellation thus represents the guiding principles of the Faculty of Health: interprofessionalism, collaboration and diversity. In future, the management positions should be more diverse and equal between women and men and reflect a conscious mix of generations. "The tandem itself speaks in favour of diversity - women and men, junior and senior managers, nursing science and dentistry. Some might see potential for friction in this, but I see a lot of necessary skills that would never be expected in one person. That's why the tandem also reflects the real requirements of our current and future healthcare provision. I am really pleased to be involved in this innovative step in the Faculty of Health," says Margareta Halek.

Stefan Zimmer: "A tandem solution at the head of a Faculty of Health is something very innovative and I am proud to be a part of it. It can become a model for how to meet modern needs for the division of labour and thus create better opportunities to reconcile work and family life. I am also convinced that looking at a common task from different perspectives is very beneficial and can move the faculty forward. We want to prove this over the next four years."

"Our goal is to remain in the top group in Germany and to specifically improve weak points."

"A central concern is the promotion and shaping of interdisciplinarity, which should be noticeable in all departments in teaching, research and patient care," emphasises Zimmer. Halek adds that the strength of the multi-professional Faculty of Health should be emphasised at all levels.

The new management tandem would like to develop outpatient care structures even better, in particular by interlinking the four areas of general practice, nursing, psychotherapy and dentistry. "Teaching has traditionally been particularly important to us. This should remain the case in the future. Our aim is to remain in the top group in Germany and to specifically improve weak points," says Halek.

In addition to these faculty-specific goals, the two have also resolved to realise a higher proportion of women in management positions and to improve the compatibility of family and appointment. The topic of sustainability will also play an important role. "Examples include the consumption of resources in our outpatient clinics, but also the journeys that our colleagues have to make for events and committee meetings or that our students have to make to attend courses. This is a challenge for a faculty with widely dispersed locations," emphasises Zimmer.

The new management team replaces Prof Dr Stefan Wirth, who will be stepping down after ten years in office. Prof Wirth's tenure was characterised by the consolidation of the newly founded Faculty of Health and the strengthening of awareness of the new community of disciplines and subjects. He was also responsible for doubling the number of study places in the field of medicine, for which he was also Head of Department, and the associated sharp increase in professors and other staff, as well as the expansion of the infrastructure. His time as Dean also saw the establishment of the new Primary Care Clinic for Integrative Health Care and Naturopathy, the development of outpatient care in general and general practice in particular, as well as the first steps towards strengthening digital research and teaching at the Faculty of Health.

"A lot has been initiated, strengthened and kicked off. I am delighted to be handing over a dynamic and development-oriented faculty community to my successors," says Professor Wirth.