On May 2, 2025, the farewell lecture of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jörg Becker took place in lecture hall Leo 1 at the Leonardo Campus. Numerous colleagues from across the School of Business and Economics, long-time companions, former and current doctoral students from three decades, as well as his family, attended the event.

The Rector of the University of Münster, Prof. Johannes Wessels, the Vice Dean for Financial Affairs, Prof. Christoph Watrin, and the Director of the Department of Information Systems, Prof. Jan vom Brocke, honored Prof. Becker in their welcoming speeches. They expressed their gratitude for his outstanding commitment –particularly in establishing and advancing the field of Information Systems in Münster –as well as for the many forward-thinking projects he initiated and shaped.

Jörg Becker then gave his farewell and inaugural lecture titled “The best of both worlds”, in which he reflected on his beginnings at the department and provided insight into his future plans as a senior professor.

The Senior Professorship of Information Management continues the long-standing work of the Chair of Information Systems and Information Management. Jörg Becker and his team conduct research in the fields of process and data modeling. In addition to the development and evaluation of new methods, the focus is on the transfer of results into practice – particularly in the areas of services, e-government, and trade – remains a key focus. Through integration into the European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS), an interdisciplinary approach is pursued that brings together core competencies from information systems, computer science, business administration, and law.

Since 1990, Jörg Becker has profoundly shaped the Department and the field of Information Systems. His research in process management, data management, e-government, information modeling, retail information systems, and hybrid value creation has left a lasting impact. As the founder of ERCIS, he has decisively advanced the network in Information Systems not only throughout Europe, but also internationally.

The Department of Information Systems would like to thank Jörg Becker for everything he has done for the Department and the SBE – for his extraordinary commitment, many years of loyalty, and for preserving the founding spirit that has inspired so many of his colleagues along the way.