Vera Bitsch, Honorary Doctor of Agricultural Science

Vera Bitsch specialises in the economics of horticulture and landscaping. Since 2010, she has been a professor at Technische Universität München. She initially studied horticultural science at Leibniz Universität Hannover where she also received her doctorate and lay the foundation for her future career. Before moving to Munich, she worked at Michigan State University in the United States for ten years.

Bitsch's research concerns agricultural economics and agribusiness management. These days, she focuses on strategic management, organisational behaviour and development as well as employee/employer issues such as salaries, attitudes, motivation, working life risks, etc. She is also interested in sustainability issues in the value chain, especially social sustainability, and has worked on projects concerning food waste, "dumpster diving" and social participation, among other things. She also has substantial international contacts through her commitment to several societies, working groups and other networks.

Bitsch's research is strongly connected to SLU operations at the Department of Work Science, Business Economics and Environmental Psychology as well as the Swedish Centre for Agricultural Business Management. SLU staff involved in horticultural economics have long had good research contacts at several German institutes and higher education institutions, which now includes Technische Universität München.

Press photos

(Can be published along with texts about the honorary doctor. Photographer must be marked.)

• Portrait of Vera Bitsch. Photo: Astrid Eckert/Andreas Heddergott, TUM
• Vera Bitsch during lecture. Photo: Astrid Eckart, TUM