Foundation

The University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation

With the revision of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG) in 2002, the state government of Lower Saxony at that time enabled the universities to choose a new legal form. The TiHo took this chance and TiHo´s senate decided by a great majority to apply for the transformation of the university into an endowed university within an public foundation on October 1, 2002. After approval by the state parliament, TiHo´s way for more autonomy and creative freedom was paved. Thus, although the university continues to be financially supported by the state of Lower Saxony, it gained, however, freedom of choice – in financial and economic management, for example, or in the appointment of professors.

The foundation is managed by a seven-member foundation board. It consists of five volunteers from business, science and culture, one representative of the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony (MWK) and one representative of the TiHo senate. The foundation board counsels the university, decides foundation matters of fundamental importance and monitors the presidium’s activities. Furthermore, it has the following tasks:

  • nomination or appointment and dismissal of the presidium members of the university,
  • decision on change and load of the basic assets and taking out loans,
  • approval of the business plan,
  • acceptance of the statement of accounts of the presidium,
  • approval of the annual financial statement and discharge of the foundation presidium,
  • consent for the creation of companies or for the foundation’s participation in companies,
  • legal supervision of the university,
  • decisions on change of the foundation’s statute and the adoption, amendment and cancellation of other foundation statutes.