As head of the Triesdorf administrative office, Hannelore Göttler holds many threads in her hands and, like any good manager, has to be able to put herself in the shoes of various people and departments. She has one considerable advantage: she knows many administrative units "from the inside" from her experience. Because in the 36 years she has been at HSWT, Hannelore Göttler has held five different positions before she took over the management of the central university administration in Triesdorf in 2016.

36 years, six different positions

It all began in 1985 with a job advertisement in the Weidenbach community newspaper. Back then, the trained commercial assistant wanted to change her career and was looking for a family-friendly job. The HSWT was looking for a library assistant, and shortly afterwards, Hannelore Göttler, a stranger to new challenges, was standing between the bookshelves. After one and a half years, she moved to the dean's office. Back then, when the Triesdorf campus housed a manageable number of 260 students, the various units still shared this so-called "business office". Over the years, the campus grew, new buildings and research facilities were opened, the number of students, lecturers and staff increased, and the "business office" split into central and faculty administration. Hannelore Göttler worked in the latter until 2006.

"I found and still find it great to witness the evolution of the University of Applied Sciences. When I came here, the entire staff, including the professors, fit around one table. Today, the Triesdorf campus is much bigger and more extensive. And the development continues." The native of Middle Franconia particularly remembers moving into the C-building and, thus, the first university-owned building in Triesdorf in 2007. "That was already a wow experience," she recalls this big step for the Triesdorf campus.

After her time in the department, Hannelore Göttler continued in tuition fee administration until she became head of the general subject advisory service in 2011 after receiving further training. After five years in this position, she finally took over the management of the central administration at the Triesdorf campus.

Here, she is responsible for the overall organisation of student and examination administration, real estate matters as well as all central administrative units such as the mail room, cash office or contact point for non-academic staff.

For Hannelore Göttler, this diversity is both the attraction and the challenge of her job. "I have to change my mind quickly, switch spontaneously from one topic to a completely different one," she says. And this continues after work, she adds with a laugh. Because what she wished for in 1985 - the compatibility of work and family - has worked out: Hannelore Göttler is a mother of two children and grandmother of three grandchildren who live in the same house as her.

"The campus has its own charm"

Her job is often about getting things off the ground. "You have to know the right contact person for each concern. I benefit from the fact that I have been at HSWT for a long time and have worked in various positions - I know the structures and connections that have grown up. That also benefits me when working with my teams because I know their challenges to a certain extent from my own experience."

The 59-year-old appreciates the University of Applied Sciences as a working environment: "I find the entire construct of the University of Applied Sciences inspiring because it combines many aspects: teaching and students, research and diverse administration tasks. And such a campus also has its own charm, perhaps especially such a special campus as Triesdorf - in the countryside, very familiar and with practical and teaching partners in the direct neighbourhood."

Speaking of neighbourhood: Only seven kilometres separate the home of Hannelore Göttler, who grew up in Weidenbach, from her workplace. "I can almost see the campus from my window," she says, "but the distance is just right: close enough for a pleasantly short commute and far enough for me to switch off in my private life." She also creates a healthy mental distance for herself in other ways: "I pack my sports clothes in the morning and start my jog from the office directly after work. For me, a few kilometres in running shoes create a wonderful transfer between work and leisure."