Turkish scientist Fatma Deniz elected rector of TU Berlin

WISE NEWS PRESS / BERLIN, GERMANY — DEC. 5, 2025

The Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin), one of Germany's leading technical universities, has elected Prof. Dr. Fatma Deniz as its new rector, marking a significant leadership transition for the institution.

Deniz, a computer scientist specializing in artificial intelligence, secured a decisive victory over the incumbent rector, Geraldine Rauch. She is set to assume her four-year term on April 1, 2026. The election comes in the wake of significant controversy surrounding the current administration, signaling a fresh start for the university.

Election results and senate support

The election process took place over two rounds. After three of the initial five candidates withdrew following the first round, the final contest remained between the incumbent Rauch and Prof. Dr. Deniz.

In the decisive vote by the university senate, Deniz secured a commanding victory with 42 votes, while Rauch received only 18. Winning the support of more than two-thirds of the senate underscores the strong mandate given to Deniz to lead the university forward.

Controversy surrounding the incumbent

The election was heavily influenced by controversies involving current rector Geraldine Rauch. In May 2024, Rauch faced severe backlash for "liking" a post on X (formerly Twitter) that depicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a swastika.

The image, reportedly taken during a pro-Palestine demonstration in Turkey, led to accusations of antisemitism against Rauch. Despite calls for her resignation from German politicians and the Israeli public, Rauch remained in office, apologizing and claiming she had not noticed the specific details of the image before liking it.

Who is Fatma Deniz?

According to the university's website, the rector-elect has a diverse international background. A graduate of Bursa Kız Lisesi in Turkey, Deniz completed her undergraduate studies in computer science in Munich, Germany.

Before joining TU Berlin, she held academic positions at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently serving as the university's Vice President for Digitalization and Sustainability, Deniz is a recognized expert in the field of artificial intelligence.

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