Opinion

Governance in a changing world

Inauguration Speech of Henrik Enderlein

In his inaugural address, now available to watch or download as a pdf, Hertie School President Henrik Enderlein outlined his vision for governance in a changing world.  The nation-state and its administrative and political structures are ill-prepared for dramatic changes ahead, he said, while technology is affecting policymaking in yet-to-be-understood ways and politics is undergoing major changes.

A new dimension of politics now "pits the proponents of the open against the proponents of the closed society," he said. This "is the story about which future is the right one: the one behind closed borders in a nation-state where politics functions but the economy struggles, or the one in an open-society where the economy is strong but politics reaches its limits."  

Enderlein also discusses his vision for how the Hertie School can meet these challenges in the future, in particular through plans to add five new Centres of Competence and 12 new faculty positions. To support this advancement and growth, the non-profit Hertie Foundation has committed 17.5 million euros over the next five years, in addition to its previously planned funding.

Enderlein has been Professor of Political Economy at the Hertie School since 2005 and was inaugurated as President in September 2018.

You can watch the speeches from the Inauguration and Opening of the Academic Year 2018/19 by Board of Trustees member Lisa Anderson and former Hertie School President Helmut Anheier.

More about our new President and professors