New faces on the Executive Committee: Change in the student vice-presidency

Since 1999, the Student Vice-Presidency has been bringing students’ perspectives directly to the Executive Board of the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE). With the end of Silas Gronbach’s term of office, a new team is now taking on this responsible role: Louisa Stiller as Student Vice-President and Kim Kastir as Deputy Student Vice-President. Both were elected by the university’s Senate on 25 March 2026; in accordance with the constitution, their term of office is one year.

Gruppenfoto — Auf Silas Gronbach (links) folgt nun Louisa Stiller (Mitte). Kim Kastir wird die Stellvertretung übernehmen.

Louisa Stiller brings with her prior experience in the role: she has served as Deputy Student Vice-President since November 2025 and is now taking on the responsibilities of Student Vice-President. For her, this does not mark the start of a new term of office; rather, she is continuing her work within the existing term in a new role. Together with Kim Kastir, who has been newly elected to the post, she forms the current Student Vice-Presidency team.

When Silas Gronbach took up his post, one thing stood out above all else: a strong drive to shape the future. Many ideas, many possibilities, a conscious focus on looking beyond existing boundaries – and the question of what might be possible. However, it soon became clear what university development is all about: that good ideas need priorities, and that implementation requires time, coordination and perseverance.

During his term of office, he has succeeded in providing key impetus: initiatives such as the ‘Question of the Week’, new opportunities for student involvement, and closer networking with student vice-presidents nationwide have helped to make student perspectives more visible. Projects such as a mentoring programme for first-year students, university-wide trips and the conception of a nationwide conference on student committee work also bear his hallmark.

“I look back with gratitude on an intense, challenging and, at the same time, instructive period,” says Silas Gronbach. He found the experience of setting priorities and taking on responsibility even in the face of uncertainty particularly formative.

Louisa Stiller and Kim Kastir are now building on this momentum: a particular focus lies on further developing participation formats to identify the mood among students at an early stage, as well as on expanding support services, particularly during the first year of study. At the same time, student concerns are to be consolidated more effectively and incorporated more specifically into central decision-making processes. Furthermore, both aim to intensify dialogue between students, committees and the university management and to create spaces for diverse perspectives.

The HNEE would like to express its sincere thanks to Silas Gronbach for his commitment and wishes Louisa Stiller and Kim Kastir a successful start, much creative energy and a fruitful term of office.

Notes on the image:
The photo provided here may be used in connection with this report.