The British Ambassador Andrew Mitchel CMG was not previously aware that King Charles III owns a jacket that is lined with material from bulrushes that originated in Greifswald’s peatland research unit. He was also amazed by the wide range of books on British peatlands that were presented to him in Greifswald’s Peatland Library by Prof. Dr. Hans Joosten. Dr. Greta Gaudig and Dr. Franziska Tanneberger, the Directors of the Greifswald Mire Centre (GMC), gave an overview of the peatland research performed in Greifswald that looks back on 200 years of history and has recently been reinforced by the grant of the Collaborative Research Centre Transregio WETSCAPES 2.0.
The visit also provided the Ambassador with the opportunity to discuss topics with Rector Prof. Dr. Katharina Riedel, further members of the Rectorate, students, researchers, and members of staff from Great Britain. The conversation focused on study conditions in Greifswald: small study groups, close supervision and the perfect opportunity to get involved in research were points highlighted by Student Pro-Rector Lukas Voigt. He went on to say: “I often hear from students that they would be very interested in doing a period of study abroad at a British university. However, it is now much harder since Erasmus+ funding has been cut.” The Ambassador had some good news on this front. The “Treaty between the Federal Republic of Germany and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Friendship and Bilateral Co-operation” that was signed on 17 July 2025 will prove an important milestone in intensifying the cooperation between the two countries.
Contact at the University of Greifswald
Dr. Elisabeth Böker
Press Officer & Head of University Communications
Domstraße 11, 17489 Greifswald
Tel: +49 3834 420 1150
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