As the supervisory board, the university council is one of the three central governing bodies of the university, along with the rectorate and the senate. According to the State Law on Education (Landeshochschulgesetz) §20 Paragraph 1, it supports the university, safeguards strategic responsibility, takes decisions on the planning of structure and development, and suggests measures to build a profile and develop abilities to achieve and compete. In addition, one of the important tasks of the university council is to select the main office members of the rectorate, together with the senate.
The university council consists of new members appointed by the Minister of Science. Five members are persons external to the university, including the chair; four members are internal members of the university. The office term of members is three years; a repeated re-election is permitted. Maximum membership is nine years.
External members:
- Anja Casser (Director of the Badischer Kunstverein)
- Prof. Dr. Daniel Hornuff (Prof. for Theory and Practice of Design at the University of Art Kassel)
- Dr. Susanne Schumacher (Co-Chair of the Digital Council of the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK))
- Prof. Dr. Rupert Vogel (lawyer), Chairman of the University Council
- Britta Wirtz (Managing Director of Karlsruher Messe- und Kongress GmbH), Vice Chair of the University Council.
Internal members:
- Charlotte Eifler
- Susanne Schmitt
The Rectorate, the Equal Opportunities Officer and a representative of the Ministry of Science take part in the meetings in an advisory capacity.
The university council convenes at least four times annually. The meetings are generally closed to the public.