Florida State University hosted Germany’s ambassador to the United States, Jens Hanefeld, for a campus visit on January 23. The visit underscored FSU’s increasing involvement in international research and educational partnerships.
During his time at FSU, Ambassador Hanefeld met with university administrators, students, faculty, and staff. He was in Tallahassee to sign a Joint Declaration of Intent between the State of Florida and the Federal Republic of Germany. This agreement aims to encourage strategic investment and strengthen industrial ties between Florida and Germany.
“Florida and Germany are not just trading, we’re investing in each other’s futures, building jobs and cutting-edge technologies together,” said Hanefeld. “Florida State University stands out as a powerhouse of cutting-edge research, and this excellence has long resonated across the Atlantic.”
Hanefeld spoke at The Globe Auditorium before participating in a question-and-answer session with students. The discussion covered topics such as the war in Ukraine, European energy dependence on Russian oil, and careers in foreign service. Brad T. Gomez, associate professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, introduced Hanefeld and moderated the Q&A session.
Hanefeld has served in various diplomatic roles since joining the German Federal Foreign Office in 1991. His career includes positions at embassies in Bulgaria and Washington D.C., work as private secretary to the Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005, head of that office until 2009, senior vice president for International Policy at Volkswagen Group from 2014 to 2024, ambassador to Ethiopia in 2024, and Permanent Observer to the African Union before becoming ambassador to the U.S. in August 2025.
In his remarks at FSU, Hanefeld highlighted opportunities for collaboration between Florida and Germany beyond trade—including advanced manufacturing exports as well as technology logistics services—and emphasized that global challenges require joint solutions: “We need these collaborations,” he said. “The great challenges of our time—securing digital infrastructures, resilient supply chains for semiconductors, and breakthroughs in healthcare—cannot be solved by any single country alone.”
Germany is currently one of Florida’s largest foreign investors; about 200 German companies operate within the state employing roughly 40,000 people. Cooperation extends into education: FSU maintains exchange agreements with four German universities—Ludwig Maximilians University Munich; University of Oldenburg; University of Wuppertal; WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management—and offers programs allowing both German students to study at FSU and FSU students opportunities abroad.
“Institutional ties are complemented by vibrant academic exchanges with German universities,” said Hanefeld. “Together these collaborations highlight not only past successes but also the immense potential for future cooperation.”
Other connections include an intensive summer program for language study abroad in Dresden; five German student-athletes currently competing on Seminole athletic teams; an undergraduate major available in German studies; and scientific achievements such as when researchers at National High Magnetic Field Laboratory built what was then considered the world’s strongest magnet for neutron scattering for Berlin’s Helmholtz Centre.
For more information about FSU’s international activities visit global.fsu.edu.
