Professor Bernd Huber became President of Venice International University on October 1, 2026, beginning a new phase in the history of the international university consortium.
Following the celebrations marking VIU’s 30th anniversary in November 2025, Venice International University enters its fourth decade with a renewed focus on strengthening collaboration among its member universities and research institutions and exploring new opportunities for academic and research cooperation.
Professor Huber brings to the presidency a long-standing relationship with VIU. He has served on VIU’s Board of Directors since 2002 and headed its Strategic Committee from 2014 to 2026. His experience of international university cooperation, together with his distinguished academic career in economics and many years of leadership at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich (LMU), provides a strong foundation for his new role.
A distinguished economist, Professor Huber’s research has focused on public finance, government and debt, European fiscal and monetary integration, international taxation and labor markets. He served as President of LMU Munich from 2002 to 2025 and held the Chair of Public Finance in its Department of Economics from 1994 to 2026. From 2008 to 2014, he was Chairman of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), further contributing to European and international discussions on the future of research-intensive universities.
During his presidency of LMU, the university strengthened its position as one of Germany’s leading research universities, including through its success in the German Excellence Initiative and its growing international profile. Professor Huber has also held a number of advisory and academic leadership roles in Germany and internationally, including with the German Ministry of Finance, the University of Zurich, Renmin University and Sorbonne Université.
At VIU, Professor Huber is already working with the rectors and presidents of the member universities and research institutions to build on the consortium’s established strengths and develop new areas of collaboration, with particular attention to research cooperation among the participating institutions.
VIU’s academic programs provide a strong foundation for this next phase. Each year, more than 600 students from member universities come to the San Servolo campus to participate in short or intensive programs that complement their studies at their home universities. The Globalization Program and VIU’s Intensive Graduate Activities are developed collaboratively by the member institutions through the Academic Council, bringing together students and faculty from across the consortium.
As VIU looks towards the years ahead, the leadership and member institutions are exploring new opportunities to extend this collaborative model, particularly by creating further connections between research communities across the consortium.
“VIU was founded on the value of bringing people together: students, scholars and professors from different countries, disciplines and academic traditions, sharing perspectives and learning from one another,” said Professor Huber. “This spirit of interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange remains at the core of VIU today. I look forward to working with our member institutions to build on this strong foundation and to explore new opportunities for collaboration, particularly in research.”
Professor Huber succeeds Ambassador Umberto Vattani, who has led VIU since 2001. VIU extends its appreciation for Amb. Vattani’s contribution to VIU and looks forward to continuing its work as a consortium dedicated to international academic cooperation.
--
Prof. Bernd Huber
President of Venice International University
Bio
