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146 mayor of WUppertal peter jUng aWarDeD honorary felloWship In December 2010 the Mayor of <strong>Wuppertal</strong>, Peter Jung, was elected an Honorary Fellow of the University of <strong>Wuppertal</strong>. Unanimously agreeing the honor, UW Senate commended Jung for his continuous commitment to the university throughout his already long period of office and his public action and support on its behalf. UW Rector Prof. Dr. Lam- bert T. Koch remarked in his eulogy: “Universities need ambassadors, spokespersons and supporters in their key activities for society: in research, teaching and knowledge transfer.” As mayor of the Bergisch region’s major city, Peter Jung had long demonstrated his active support and concern for the university. Here it was of decisive importance that university and city should grow together, both symbolically and in vital everyday proximity; it was important that the people of <strong>Wuppertal</strong> should feel they lived in a university city. Peter Jung, the Rector confirmed, spoke for the common interests of university and city, which aimed to achieve recognition both nationally and <strong>international</strong>ly as an attractive center of knowledge. In his speech of acceptance the Honorary Fellow thanked the Rector, saying that he saw the award as an act of recognition not only for himself but for the whole city, and he called on the industries of the region to draw on the knowledge and competencies available at the university. For city and region UW was, across all its disciplines, a “lucky number”. The Mayor concluded with the words “We are proud of our university.” honorary DoCtorate for peter vaUpel, Ceo sparkasse bank, WUppertal The longstanding CEo of the City of Wupper- tal’s Sparkasse Bank, Peter H. Vaupel, was awarded an honorary doctorate in June 2010 by UW’s Faculty of Economics – Schumpeter School of Business and Economics. Before some 300 guests from the political, industrial and university worlds, the Dean of Faculty, Prof. Dr. Stefan Thiele, praised Peter Vaupel’s outstanding achievements as a business leader. His ten years at the helm of the Sparkasse had seen the bank developing very positively despite the difficulties in the global economic environment. Michael Breuer, former NRW Minister and President of the Rhineland Sparkasse Union, spoke in his eulogy of Vaupel’s services to the entire Sparkasse family. He not only lays consistent emphasis on the service function of the Sparkasse, Breuer said, he also embodies this in his own person. His leadership has been marked by high ethical and moral standards, as well as by seriousness and reliability: “The bank’s customers trust Peter Vaupel, and their trust is essential for the success of the bank.” Thus, Michael Breuer concluded, the whole Sparkasse family stands to gain from the honorary doctorate conferred on Peter Vaupel. UW Rector Prof. Dr. Lam- bert T. Koch underlined in his welcoming address the manner in which Peter Vaupel has personally demonstrated how a municipal bank can foster the commitment of local citizens and contribute to the quality of their lives. “It is impossible to think of the city or region of <strong>Wuppertal</strong> without the Sparkasse”, stated Prof. Koch, who went on to emphasize Vaupel’s understanding of the decisive economic role played by a university within its region. The Rector concluded with the words: “Promoters like him, with far-reaching academic and practical insight, are more than ever necessary for a university today.” 147 09_UW_PEoPLE