New Chair of the University of Basel Senate
Professor Ralph Ubl is the new Chair of the University of Basel Senate. The art historian succeeds Professor Daniela Thurnherr, who has been elected as a judge at the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.
25 September 2026
The Senate Committee had nominated Professor Ralph Ubl as a candidate for the position. As a former Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and a member of the Senate during the previous term, he brings the required qualifications and experience. Ralph Ubl was elected as the new Chair of the Senate with broad support at yesterday’s Senate meeting.
Professor Daniela Thurnherr had chaired the Senate for the past seven years. In June 2026, the legal scholar was elected by the United Federal Assembly as a judge at the Swiss Federal Supreme Court and will take up her new position in early October. She will remain affiliated with the University of Basel as an adjunct professor.
Search for new President: interviews underway
Professor Laurent Goetschel, Deputy Chair of the Senate and head of the selection committee preparing the election of the new President, updated the Senate on the status of the selection process. The 12-member committee worked intensively over the summer and narrowed down the applications to a manageable shortlist. Interviews are currently taking place to prepare a nomination to submit to the Senate at its meeting on November 5.
Discussion of internationalization strategy
The University of Basel plans to expand its international activities strategically through 2030, and a draft of the new strategy has now been presented to the Senate for the first time. It focuses on three goals: greater diversity, sustainable international partnerships and greater societal impact.
Plans include joint professorships with partner universities, additional mobility opportunities for students and researchers, and a new Senate Committee on International Affairs. The University will also consider joining a global university network. To support its climate targets, it intends to use digital exchange formats more.
Senate awards Venia docendi
At the request of the Faculty of Medicine, the Senate has awarded the following individuals the degree of Dr. habil. and the Venia docendi. These researchers are thus authorized to use the title of lecturer (Privatdozent) and the academic degree of Dr. habil.
- Dr. Christoph Becker for communication
- Prof. Anne Géraldine Guex, PhD, for experimental dentistry
- Dr. Aljaz Hojski for thoracic surgery
- Dr. Maximilian Meyer for adult psychiatry
- Dr. Jannis Müller for neurology
- Dr. Tobias Christian Silzle for hematology
- Dr. Anas Taha for image-guided therapy
- Dr. Corinne Widmer for hematology
In addition, at the request of the Faculty of Medicine, the Senate awarded Dr. Niels Foit the degree of Dr. habil. in neurosurgery.
University Council: Promotion in the Department of Chemistry
Konrad Tiefenbacher has been promoted to Full Professor of Synthesis of Functional Modules at the University of Basel’s Department of Chemistry and ETH Zurich’s Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, effective October 1, 2026. The position is a dual professorship with ETH Zurich. Following the University Council’s approval of the promotion, the ETH Board has now also given its consent.
Konrad Tiefenbacher was appointed tenure-track assistant professor in 2016 and has been an associate professor at the University of Basel since 2020. His research focuses on the application of molecular recognition and encapsulation to tackle fundamental challenges in synthetic organic chemistry. His work has received support, including an ERC Starting Grant and several grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation.
