CODE University of Applied Sciences · Berlin
President (m/f/d)
ABOUT THE ROLE CODE University of Applied Sciences is a state-accredited university of applied sciences in Berlin built for a new generation of digital pioneer...
ABOUT THE ROLE
CODE University of Applied Sciences is a state-accredited university of applied sciences in Berlin built for a new generation of
digital pioneers. We educate people who want to shape the future—not by absorbing knowledge in lecture halls, but by building,
experimenting, and learning through real-world projects. We pride ourselves in our learning approach and in our focus on
entrepreneurship. We embraced AI long before it became a hype — convinced that in an age where AI reshapes what and how we learn,
education itself must be fundamentally different.
Our academic model is project-based, curiosity-driven, and interdisciplinary. There are no conventional lectures. Students
primarily work on project teams, supported by faculty who act as coaches and sparring partner. We do not look at grades when
inviting students, but rather mindset and character - initiative, responsibility, and the willingness to take ownership are what
count.
CODE is more than a university. It is a community of learners, makers, and entrepreneurs embedded in Berlin’s tech and startup
ecosystem. Our purpose is clear: To empower digital pioneers.
The Role
As President, you are the academic head of CODE University of Applied Sciences. You have overall responsibility for the
university’s academic approach, its legal integrity, academic governance, and long-term development.
You are not a caretaker of the status quo. You are a steward of CODE’s mission, culture, and academic model—entrusted with
preserving its DNA while guiding the institution through its next phase of growth, maturation, and impact.
You are the public face of CODE — equally at ease representing the university externally and present within its community day to
day.
As a leading member of the Presidium, you shape CODE’s future in close cooperation with its stakeholders: students, alumni,
faculty, academic senate, chancellor and boards, while safeguarding academic independence.
Your Responsibilities
Academic Leadership & Strategy
- Act as steward of CODE’s vision on learning and entrepreneurship.
- Further develop CODE’s academic approach and ensure its positioning as a leading entrepreneurship-focused university for
digital innovation – with a distinctive learning model, culture, and values (“To empower digital pioneers”). Champion
entrepreneurial thinking and acting as drivers for change and development in the world — positioning CODE's graduates and
community as agents of positive societal impact
University Governance & Legal Responsibility
- Represent CODE in all matters of university law and ensure compliance with statutes and higher-education regulations.
- Prepare, chair, and implement resolutions of the relevant academic bodies, in particular the academic senate.
Academic Quality, Accreditation & Research
- Oversee and drive academic standards, quality assurance, and continuous improvement.
- Lead and oversee (re-)accreditation processes and ensure regulatory readiness as the university scales.
- Promote research activities and oversee the development and management of academic institutes and international cooperations.
Faculty & Academic Operations
- Inspire and enable faculty to fully live CODE's project-based, inquiry-driven, entrepreneurship-focused pedagogy.
- Provide leadership for academic colleagues, including responsibility for academic personnel matters within the statutory
framework.
- Ensure that teaching and examination obligations are fulfilled, with the right to supervise and issue instructions where
required.
Community, Culture & Representation
- Act as a credible ambassador for CODE’s model, values, and societal relevance.
- Cultivate close, visible relationships with students, alumni and faculty and strengthen a culture of trust, inclusion, and
innovation.
- Represent CODE vis-à-vis the Berlin Senate, political stakeholders, the academic community, accreditation bodies, and partners
from industry and the startup ecosystem.
Institutional Development & Growth
- As a leading member of the Presidium, co-shape the university strategy and contribute to the implementation of the business
plan.
- Work closely with the chancellor and the academic senate to align academic strategy with sustainable institutional growth.
- Support the development of new educational formats consistent with CODE’s mission and quality standards.
Your Profile
Formal Eligibility
- You meet the statutory requirements for appointment as President under CODE’s Basic Regulations, i.e. a university degree and
leadership experience.
- A doctoral degree and/or eligibility for appointment to a professorship under the Berliner Hochschulgesetz are highly welcome
and strengthen your candidacy.
Leadership Experience
- Proven experience in leading an academic institution, a substantial academic unit, or a mission-driven organization in a
complex governance environment.
- Demonstrated ability to balance academic freedom, legal compliance, and strategic development.
Stewardship Mindset
- You see the role of President not as an administrative position, but as institutional stewardship.
- You are passionate about reinventing learning and teaching for the age of AI, and bring a clear drive to further CODE's
pedagogic approach.
- You are deeply committed to preserving and evolving CODE’s entrepreneurial DNA while professionalizing structures, processes,
and governance.
- You are comfortable leading through influence, culture, and shared purpose rather than hierarchy.
Academic Track-Record & Entrepreneurial Affinity
- Teaching experience in modern higher-education pedagogy, such as project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, and
constructive alignment.
- Genuine affinity with technology, design, entrepreneurship, and startup ecosystems—and the ability to engage founders,
investors, and tech leaders as peers.
- Solid research experience proven with peer-reviewed publications in the field relevant to CODE.
Network & Communication
- Well connected within academia and capable of representing CODE credibly in regulatory and political contexts, or a strong
embeddedness in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- An inspiring communicator, equally comfortable in external representation and internal community building, who can connect
students, faculty, partners, and political stakeholders around a shared mission.
Languages
- Fluency in English and German is required.
Why CODE
CODE offers a rare opportunity:
To lead a university that was designed from scratch for the digital age—and to shape its future at a moment where impact, scale,
and institutional maturity converge.
If you believe universities should empower people to build, not just to know—and if you are motivated to steward a bold
educational vision into its next chapter—we look forward to your application.
Start Date
01 March 2027
Application Process
Please submit your application (motivation letter + CV in one PDF) by May 31, 2026 through our portal:
CONTACT INFORMATION
For inquiries, you are welcome to contact:
Prof. Dr. Stephan Stubner
Chairman of the Selection Committee
stephan.stubner@code.berlin