Ute Rietdorf

Ute Rietdorf serves as Scientific Coordinator for the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1199 'Spatialization Processes under Conditions of Globalization' and Coordinator of the European University Alliance Arqus at the University of Leipzig's International Office since August 2016. Her career spans over two decades at Leipzig's research units, including the Institute of African Studies & SEPT Program (2001-2011) and Centre for Area Studies (2011-2016), alongside concurrent work at Hamburg's German Institute of Global and Area Studies (2004-2010).

Her academic credentials include:

• Magistra Artium in African Studies with minors in Ethnology and Business Administration from Leipzig University and Leiden University (1989-1996)
• Doctoral studies in African Studies at Leipzig University (1996-2002)

Dr. Rietdorf's research centers on development economics with intensive regional focus on sub-Saharan Africa. She examines historical economic trajectories, rural development challenges, and technology-development interfaces while advancing scholarship in sustainable development frameworks, institutional analysis, and Africa's entrepreneurship ecosystems. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates knowledge management and social capital theories within Africa's evolving position in the global knowledge society.

Her teaching profile directly complements research themes through courses in development economics, research methodology, and sustainable development praxis. Current leadership in CRC 1199 demonstrates her capacity for managing large-scale interdisciplinary research initiatives, while her Arqus Alliance coordination reflects expertise in European academic network development and international mobility programs.