UniversityCeremonial Transfer of Office

Ruperto Carola marked the change in university leadership with an academic ceremony. As the outgoing University Rector, Prof. Dr Bernhard Eitel installed his successor, Prof. Dr Frauke Melchior, in her office as new Rector of Heidelberg University. 

Members of the university, as well as colleagues, friends, supporters and alumni from all over the world gathered in large numbers on 7 October 2023 in the Great Hall of the New University to witness the ceremonial transfer of office. Also present at the farewell for Bernhard Eitel and induction of Frauke Melchior were numerous presidents and rectors from partner universities in Germany and abroad, as well as leading figures from politics, society and public life. 

Among the speakers who paid tribute to the work accomplished by the retiring Rector during his 16-year term of office and then extended all good wishes for a successful term to the new Rector was also Petra Olschowski, Science Minister of the State of Baden-Württemberg.