Prof. Dr. Michael Goecke from FOM University of Economics and Management, Essen is the new "Doctor Honoris Causa" of Technical University - Sofia

On 07.06.2023, the Rector of Technical University – Sofia, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Králov, in execution of a decision by the Academic Council dated 26.04.2023, presented Professor, Doctor of Economics Michael Göke from FOM University of Economics and Management, Essen, with an honorary certificate and a medal for the conferral of the title "Doctor Honoris Causa" at Technical University – Sofia, as recognition for his long-term commitment, active support, and personal contribution to the development of the Faculty of German Engineering Education and Industrial Management at Technical University – Sofia. Prof. Ivan Králov congratulated the newly elected honorary doctor of TU – Sofia with the words: "It is an exceptional honor and joy for me that today I can fulfill a duty, namely to confer the honorary title of "Doctor Honoris Causa" at Technical University – Sofia on Professor, Doctor of Economics Michael Göke. I want to thank all our partner universities that participate in the educational and research process of Technical University – Sofia and especially the Faculty of German Engineering Education and Industrial Management, and wish them health, success in creative and personal terms, and to continue with a pioneering spirit to build the future technical elite of society. Thanks also to the companies that support this education and research activity and thus contribute to the high quality of qualification of our graduate engineers. I want to wish the management of the Faculty of German Engineering Education and Industrial Management to continue their active efforts to expand the activity and the educational service, not only for students from our country, but also for students from neighboring countries, as this is extremely important not only for society, but also for business and for the well-being between peoples. Congratulations, Prof. Göke, and wishes for further success!"

The Dean of FGEIM, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Vasil Galabov, presented Professor Michael Göke, who was conferred the title "Doctor Honoris Causa" at Technical University – Sofia, highlighting his contributions to the establishment and development of cooperation between FGEIM and FOM University of Economics and Management, Essen. 

Prof. Michael Göke thanked for the honor received and delivered an academic speech on the topic "Challenges for economic policy and ways to solve current societal problems through the use of regulatory mechanisms of the market economy."

Prof. Dr. Michael Göke, honorary doctor of Technical University – Sofia

Prof. Dr. Michael Göke was born on 28.04.1967, in the city of Warstein, North Rhine-Westphalia province, FR Germany. He received his higher education in economics and management at Wilhelm University, Münster, and Ruhr University Bochum, where he also completed his doctoral degree in economics.

From 1993 to 2003, he carried out teaching activities at these two universities and was a corporate finance consultant, while simultaneously serving as executive director of the List Gesellschaft e.V. association in Münster and as a consultant for DZ Corporate Finance GmbH in Frankfurt am Main.

From April 2003, he has been a professor of micro- and macroeconomics at FOM University of Economics and Management, Essen – the largest private university with over 40 branches in Germany and more than 60,000 students. From 2004 to 2018, he was the dean of the professional field of micro and macroeconomics, and from 2007, head of the branches in Dortmund and Münster. He is the author and co-author of numerous publications (monographs, textbooks, studies, and articles in renowned journals) in Germany and abroad.

Prof. Göke is at the heart of the cooperation between the Faculty of German Engineering Education and Industrial Management (FDEEIM) of the Technical University – Sofia and FOM University of Economics and Management, which began with the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two educational institutions in 2008, although mutual contacts and the exchange of teachers and students started as early as 2004. In the same year, he began his guest teaching activities in micro- and macroeconomics at FDEEIM, which he has continued regularly to this day.

According to the 2008 agreement, a joint Master's specialization in Business Administration (MBA) was introduced at FDEEIM, with Prof. Göke serving as the scientific supervisor from the German side. In this capacity, he not only teaches Bulgarian students every year but also oversees the overall cooperation related to the mobility of teachers and students from both sides, the preparation of study plans and programs for the Master's specialization, and their accreditation. To date, Prof. Göke has organized and conducted two official accreditations from the German side of the joint specialization (in 2016 and 2023), both of which concluded with a positive evaluation. Throughout all these years of cooperation in the MBA specialization, 158 graduates have been trained and received German and Bulgarian diplomas.

Prof. Göke actively supports FDEEIM in its research activities. He regularly participates not only with scientific reports but also in the organization of the faculty's traditional scientific conference. With his involvement, a joint project – Erasmus+ Project KA203 „Competences in Health Network Management“ – was successfully completed in 2022.

Based on his long-term participation and comprehensive support in the introduction, establishment, and successful implementation of the Master's specialization in Business Administration, as well as his contribution to the development of cooperation between FDEEIM and FOM University of Economics and Management, on April 26, 2023, the Academic Council decided to award him the title of „Honorary Doctor of the Technical University – Sofia"