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A landmark appointment at one of Germany’s top technical universities has placed Turkish academic Professor Fatma Deniz at the helm of TU Berlin (Berlin Technical University), after she won the senate vote by a wide margin. The Bursa-born computer scientist, who has been serving as vice-rector for digitalization and sustainability, will officially take office in April 2026.
The rectorial election, held in two rounds, initially featured five candidates. After the first round last week, three contenders withdrew, leaving the current rector Professor Geraldine Rauch and Professor Fatma Deniz as the final two names on the ballot.
During Wednesday's vote, Rauch received 18 votes, while Deniz secured strong support with 42 votes, well above the two-thirds majority required by the university senate. The result positions Deniz as the new leader of one of Germany’s most prominent technical institutions.
Deniz completed her secondary education at Bursa Girls' High School before moving to Germany for her undergraduate studies. She earned her degree in computer science in Munich and later worked at the University of California, Berkeley, before joining TU Berlin.
Her academic path has been shaped by research in artificial intelligence, an area in which she has developed extensive expertise. Prior to her election, she had been overseeing TU Berlin’s digital transformation and sustainability initiatives as vice-rector.
TU Berlin highlighted her background in artificial intelligence and her leadership in digitalization as valuable assets for her upcoming four-year term. The university’s profile in technology and innovation is expected to align closely with her scientific focus.
Her appointment also marks a notable milestone for the Turkish academic community in Europe, as she becomes one of the rare Türkiye-born scholars to lead a major German university.
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