Nobel laureate to head German private university

Physicist Konstantin Novoselov has been appointed president of Constructor University in Bremen, joining a select club of Nobel laureates who have gone on to lead a higher education institution.

The university’s board of governors announced on 24 February that Novoselov will replace Serguei Kouzmine, who held the role since November last year.

The Russian-British scientist is best known for his work at the University of Manchester, where he and fellow physicist Andre Geim isolated graphene, the thinnest and strongest material ever discovered. The breakthrough earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 at the age of 36.

“With Professor Novoselov at the helm, Constructor University is welcoming one of the most influential scientists of our time,” said Turgut Tülü, chancellor of Constructor University. “His scientific leadership, global network, and commitment to industry-relevant research will significantly enhance our profile and accelerate innovation across disciplines.” 

Born in the Soviet Union in 1974, Novoselov graduated from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and undertook his PhD studies at the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands before moving to Manchester in 2001. 

He has published about 320 scientific papers, including 25 in Nature and Science, over the course of his academic career, and has been ranked among the world’s most highly cited researchers every year since 2014.

Outgoing president Kouzmine said he was “very happy to step down” in favour of Novoselov. Constructor was previously led by Stanislav Protasov from 2023 to 2025.

“I strongly believe this nomination will have a meaningful impact on Constructor University’s global standing and elevate the institution to new heights,” he added.  

The university, based in the German city of Bremen, is an English-language private institution founded in 2001. It was previously called Jacobs University and International University Bremen.

seher.asaf@timeshighereducation.com