Volker Gruhn joins Bitkom’s Management Board

Bitkom CEO Dr Bernhard Rohleder: “The Management Board is one of Bitkom’s most important bodies and unites leading figures in Germany’s digital economy. Together, we want to make Germany a powerful and highly innovative centre for digital business, drive forward the digital transformation of the country’s economy and public administration, strengthen digital sovereignty and achieve broad social participation in digital developments. We are delighted to welcome Prof. Dr Volker Gruhn to Bitkom’s Management Board.”

Gruhn, who created concepts such as the “New School of IT” and “Boundless Data”, is Head of the Software Engineering Department at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Looking at his new position from this perspective, he remarks: “As a member of Bitkom’s Management Board, I look forward to taking the opportunity to provide an academic viewpoint on the training of computer scientists.” Bitkom and adesso have already been united for many years by a commitment to train future software experts. adesso supports the association’s Digital Design Manifesto and, as part of the related Bitkom working group, advocated the establishment of a new “digital designer” profession. The key message issued by the two partners is that just like buildings need architects, complex digitalisation projects require a leading creative force who sees the big picture. This role should be taken by an appropriately trained digital designer with ideas that integrate digital products, processes, services, business models and systems.

Gruhn gives his view on this topic: “At German universities, there is still a lack of such wide-ranging courses that allow students to acquire skills across different disciplines.”