Prof Michael Jansen: Visionary academic
In memory of Prof Dr Michael Jansen, inaugural Rector of the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech), passed away in Germany recently
Published: 01:08 PM,Aug 30,2022 | EDITED : 05:08 PM,Aug 30,2022
MUSCAT / AACHEN: I remember Prof Michael Jansen as an ambitious, sharp and visionary academic who was full of ideas and with a Nordic charm. The last time I remember speaking to him in the RIO offices at GUtech, he told me about an upcoming UNESCO conference and he was preparing his speech.
As an archaeologist and urban historian, he had a deep rooted interest and attachment to the Sultanate of Oman and the Indian Ocean region. He was an agile person - always ‘on the move’ - even at the time of his retirement, staying very well-connected with the different stakeholders in government and in business and involved in numerous conservation and heritage projects such as Al Baleed Archaelogical site in Dhofar, Mohenjo Daro in Pakistan, and Banyan in Afghanistan. He was part of many exciting projects in Europe, Middle East and Central Asia for more than 50 years and a role-model for successful international academic cooperation in the field of conservation and heritage management. He received the German Pakistani Honor Elal El Imtiaz twice and the German Federal Cross of Merit, Bundesverdienstkreuz.
I first met and interviewed Prof Jansen when I worked as a journalist for Oman Tribune. At the time, one of the editors told me about the university project. Being German myself, I was very curious and keen to learn more about the ambitious project to establish the first German University of Technology on the Arabian Peninsula, in the Omani capital Muscat. I remember we were sitting in the lobby of the InterContinental hotel in Qurum and Prof Jansen shared his many ideas and plans to establish the first German university affiliated with RWTH Aachen University and according to German quality standards.
He told me about student exchange programmes that could be funded and promoted to enhance cooperation and understanding between Germany and Oman. The university project had already developed from 2002 onwards and was now just in the final stages of its realisation. In December 2006 the founding agreement was signed in a ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Muscat. I was covering the event for the newspaper. The contract was signed between Oman Educational Services, RWTH Aachen University and the then Omani Ministry of Higher Education.
Looking back on his momentous development, and having been involved with the University as a PR Manager, I believe that this signing of the contract meant not only the formal establishment of an institution of technology but also the start of a new era of long-term collaboration and bonding between Oman and Germany and a place for exchange of knowledge, ideas, people and cultures. GUtech has been a highlight of successful bilateral cooperation between both countries and the spirit of the founding members including Prof Jansen highly contributed to that.
The highlight of the university was that it grew steadily from a beach-front villa campus to a beautiful campus in Halban. The late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos made a private visit to the new campus on December 24, 2012. For that very special occasion, Prof Jansen and his wife Michaela flew from Germany into Oman.
Prof Jansen, who was involved in projects in Oman for several decades, was RWTH Aachen Professor for urban history and conservation at the Urban Planning and Architecture Department at GUtech. He was one of the main members of the founding team of GUtech, along with Shaikh Abdullah bin Mohammed al Salmi, who had long-wished to establish a German University for the youth in Oman, and Oman Educational Services. Also part of this effort were Prof Dr Burkhard Rauhut, who at that time was the Rector of RWTH Aachen University; Michaela Jansen-Liehner and Prof Dr Karsten Ley.
Prof Jansen will be missed greatly by his family and by all he has met throughout his lifetime. His legacy will continue to flourish within GUtech and Oman and well beyond the borders. May his soul rest in peace! [The author was PR Manager at GUtech from 2007 to 2020]
As an archaeologist and urban historian, he had a deep rooted interest and attachment to the Sultanate of Oman and the Indian Ocean region. He was an agile person - always ‘on the move’ - even at the time of his retirement, staying very well-connected with the different stakeholders in government and in business and involved in numerous conservation and heritage projects such as Al Baleed Archaelogical site in Dhofar, Mohenjo Daro in Pakistan, and Banyan in Afghanistan. He was part of many exciting projects in Europe, Middle East and Central Asia for more than 50 years and a role-model for successful international academic cooperation in the field of conservation and heritage management. He received the German Pakistani Honor Elal El Imtiaz twice and the German Federal Cross of Merit, Bundesverdienstkreuz.
I first met and interviewed Prof Jansen when I worked as a journalist for Oman Tribune. At the time, one of the editors told me about the university project. Being German myself, I was very curious and keen to learn more about the ambitious project to establish the first German University of Technology on the Arabian Peninsula, in the Omani capital Muscat. I remember we were sitting in the lobby of the InterContinental hotel in Qurum and Prof Jansen shared his many ideas and plans to establish the first German university affiliated with RWTH Aachen University and according to German quality standards.
He told me about student exchange programmes that could be funded and promoted to enhance cooperation and understanding between Germany and Oman. The university project had already developed from 2002 onwards and was now just in the final stages of its realisation. In December 2006 the founding agreement was signed in a ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Muscat. I was covering the event for the newspaper. The contract was signed between Oman Educational Services, RWTH Aachen University and the then Omani Ministry of Higher Education.
Looking back on his momentous development, and having been involved with the University as a PR Manager, I believe that this signing of the contract meant not only the formal establishment of an institution of technology but also the start of a new era of long-term collaboration and bonding between Oman and Germany and a place for exchange of knowledge, ideas, people and cultures. GUtech has been a highlight of successful bilateral cooperation between both countries and the spirit of the founding members including Prof Jansen highly contributed to that.
The highlight of the university was that it grew steadily from a beach-front villa campus to a beautiful campus in Halban. The late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos made a private visit to the new campus on December 24, 2012. For that very special occasion, Prof Jansen and his wife Michaela flew from Germany into Oman.
Prof Jansen, who was involved in projects in Oman for several decades, was RWTH Aachen Professor for urban history and conservation at the Urban Planning and Architecture Department at GUtech. He was one of the main members of the founding team of GUtech, along with Shaikh Abdullah bin Mohammed al Salmi, who had long-wished to establish a German University for the youth in Oman, and Oman Educational Services. Also part of this effort were Prof Dr Burkhard Rauhut, who at that time was the Rector of RWTH Aachen University; Michaela Jansen-Liehner and Prof Dr Karsten Ley.
Prof Jansen will be missed greatly by his family and by all he has met throughout his lifetime. His legacy will continue to flourish within GUtech and Oman and well beyond the borders. May his soul rest in peace! [The author was PR Manager at GUtech from 2007 to 2020]