Visiting Professorship for Political Management of the Stiftung Mercator
Thomas de Maizière Offers Insights into Governing
- von Lilian Fiala
- 12.10.2026
Head of the Federal Chancellery, Minister of the Interior, Minister of Defence: Dr Thomas de Maizière has decades of experience in government and political leadership at both state and federal level. In the winter semester 2026/2027, the former federal minister will teach at the NRW School of Governance at the University of Duisburg-Essen as Visiting Professor for Political Management of the Stiftung Mercator. In a seminar, he will give Master's students insights into political decision-making processes and the practical realities of governing. A public lecture is also planned.
Few German politicians are as familiar with government at so many different levels as Dr Thomas de Maizière (born in 1954). The lawyer, who holds a doctorate in law, began his political career in Berlin in the 1980s. In 1990, he helped establish the Office of the Minister-President of the final East German government and was a member of the delegation negotiating the German Unification Treaty. He went on to hold numerous political offices in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony, including Head of the State Chancellery in both states and Minister of Finance, Minister of Justice and Minister of the Interior in Saxony.
In 2005, de Maizière joined the federal government, becoming Federal Minister for Special Tasks and Head of the Federal Chancellery under Chancellor Angela Merkel. He served as Federal Minister of the Interior from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2013 to 2018, with a term as Federal Minister of Defence in between. He was a member of the German Bundestag from 2009 to 2021.
De Maizière will now bring this extensive experience to his teaching at the NRW School of Governance. The seminars "Task Force: Democracy in Danger?" and "Media and Politics: Transparency, Ethics and the Public Sphere in Democracy" will explore topics including the management of major government ministries and the modernisation of the state. De Maizière has also been involved in the latter as a co-founder of the German initiative "Initiative für einen handlungsfähigen Staat" (Initiative for a Capable State), which is co-funded by the Stiftung Mercator.
"We are delighted to welcome Dr Thomas de Maizière as a visiting professor. Over several decades, he has held some of the highest political offices at both federal and state level and continues to contribute actively to political and intellectual debate even after leaving office," says Dr Julia Schwanholz, who will lead the seminars.
Engaging with young people is particularly important to Thomas de Maizière: "Many young people are losing trust in politics. Yet they, in particular, are essential to the future of our democracy. We need to help them understand how political processes work and how they can play an active role in shaping them. Through this visiting professorship, I would like to share my experience and look forward to exchanging ideas with the students."
A Long-Standing Tradition of Visiting Professorships
Since 2006, the Stiftung Mercator has supported the NRW School of Governance at the University of Duisburg-Essen through various event formats and the Visiting Professorship for Political Management, which has been awarded to prominent political figures for many years. Previous visiting professors include Dr Volker Wissing, Armin Laschet, Renate Künast, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Dr Gregor Gysi, Rita Süssmuth, Andrea Nahles and Christian Wulff, who have shared exclusive insights into their political work with students.
Further information:
Markus Hoffmann, NRW School of Governance, markus.hoffmann@uni-due.de