20 Jahre Management in Nonprofit-Organisations M.A. (2006–2026)

Thea Marie Blume verbindet mit ihrer Arbeit Forschung, Lehre und Transfer: als wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin in dem Transfer- und Forschungsprojekt GROWTH beschäftigt sie sich auf Basis sozial-, politik- und verhaltenswissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse mit den Themen der Zielgruppenintegration und Impact Evaluation. Darüber hinaus lehrt sie als Lehrbeauftragte der Hochschule Osnabrück Grundlagenseminare der Sozial- und Politikwissenschaft, wo sie ihren pädagogischen Hintergrund gezielt einsetzt, um innovative Lehre angepasst an den Bedarf der Studierenden zu ermöglichen. Inhaltlicher Schwerpunk ihrer Promotion ist die politikwissenschaftliche Analyse der Rolle und Aufgaben von Universitäten und Hochschulen in liberalen Demokratien, insbesondere mit Blick auf deren stabilisierende Funktion in Deutschland und darüber hinaus. 

Selmin Çalışkan, Strategie-Beraterin und Executive Coach
Selmin Çalışkan arbeitet als Strategie-Beraterin und Führungskräfte-Coach in Berlin. Sie hat bis 2023 als Direktorin für Institutionelle Beziehungen das Berliner Büro der Open Society Foundations in Politik, Stiftungssektor, Medien und Zivilgesellschaft vertreten. Zuvor leitete sie als Generalsekretärin Amnesty International Deutschland, war Sparringspartnerin der Bundesregierung, hat Umstrukturierungen und finanzielles Wachstum verantwortet. Zuvor vertrat sie medica mondiale als Politik- und Advocacyexpertin gegenüber Regierungen, dem ISTGH, der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit und dem Themenfeld 'Frauen, Frieden und Sicherheit' und organisierte mit lokalen Menschenrechtsaktivistinnen in Kriegs- und Krisengebieten wie Afghanistan, Liberia dem DR Kongo und Kosova, Aktionen und Kampagnen. Seit Jahrzehnten setzt sie sich im In- und Ausland als intersektionelle Feministin und Menschenrechtsexpertin ein und berät mit ihrer einschlägigen Führungs-, Politik- und Organisationserfahrung andere, die sich für eine sozialere und gerechtere Welt stark machen.

Marlene Eimterbäumer is a sustainability sociologist, researcher, and lecturer specializing in social innovation and sustainability transformations. She is currently pursuing a joint PhD at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg and  University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück, where she investigates the concept of the Circular Society and its role in enabling sustainable societal change. With a background in nonprofit management, project leadership, and academic teaching, she combines research and practice to address complex sustainability challenges. Her work focuses on circular economy transitions, systems change, social entrepreneurship, and the development of innovative approaches that contribute to resilient and sustainable communities.

Ralf Garten ist seit 1995 an der Hochschule Osnabrück und leitet dort den Geschäftsbereich Kommunikation und Marketing sowie den Bereich Hochschulförderung. Er hat auch die Funktion des Pressesprechers inne. Er studierte auf Diplom Allgemeinen Maschinenbau (HS Osnabrück) sowie den Masterstudiengang Corporate Publishing (Universität Leipzig). Von 1995 bis 1999 war er im Forschungsgebiet Finite Elemente Methoden (FEM) an der HS Osnabrück in Forschung und Lehre tätig und wechselte anschließend in die Hochschul- und Wissenschaftskommunikation. Er engagierte sich im Bundesverband Hochschulkommunikation (BV_HKOM) seit 2014 in der IQ Krisenkommunikation und war an der Entwicklung des Handbuch Notfall- und Krisenmanagement federführend. Seit 2018 ist Ralf Garten im Vorstand des BV_HKOM zuständig für das Ressort Finanzen, Mitgliederbetreuung und Technischer Support. Er widmet sich hier u.a. der Weiterentwicklung der finanztechnischen Abläufe im Verband, Organisation, Lizenzen und Dienstleistungen sowie der Weiterentwicklung der Tagungs- und Veranstaltungskonzepte.

Sofia Khan is a development professional with over 10 years of experience in governance, education, and international aid implementation in Pakistan. A DAAD scholar, she holds a Master’s in Management of Non-Profit Organizations from the University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück. She has worked with leading international development organizations, including UNDP, GIZ, USAID, and FCDO, gaining extensive experience in implementing complex, multi-year, large-budget programmes. Sofia has also served as a key focal person for coordination among international donors, government counterparts, and community stakeholders. Her research interests focus on strengthening institutions and critically examining how intermediary layers within aid systems shape delivery and impact at the community level.’

Dr. Yasser Kosbar is an adjunct professor and education specialist with over a decade of experience focusing on internationalisation of higher education. He earned his PhD in International Education and Development from the University of Sussex, where he has also served as a Research Fellow at the Centre for Higher Education and Equity Research (CHEER). Dr Kosbar’s work sits at the intersection of international academic mobility, gender, and, most recently, the human-centred, ethical governance of artificial intelligence in education (AIED).  Throughout his career, he has collaborated with prominent international think tanks and multilateral organisations, including UNESCO, UNICEF, UNCTAD, ODI, and the OECD, supporting educational policy and digital learning initiatives across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He is fluent in Arabic, English, German, and French.

Dr. Mayra Martin Espinosa holds a PhD in Development Studies from the Center for Development Research (ZEF) at the University of Bonn, where she explored the online communication and mobilization of civil society actors in times of crisis for transformative action in Colombia. Prior to that, she obtained a Master’s degree in Management in Non-Profit Organisations from the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. To conduct her doctoral research and master’s studies, she was awarded a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Mayra’s professional experience includes coordinating donor-funded projects, strengthening civil society networks, and delivering capacity-building initiatives.

Dr. Murad Nasibov is a political scientist and policy analyst specialising in Eurasian regionalism, security, authoritarianism, civil society and international organisations. He is a Postdoctoral Affiliate at Justus Liebig University Giessen and has worked on EU Horizon and DFG-funded projects, combining academic research with policy-oriented analysis and consultancy. His work spans peer-reviewed scholarship, novel datasets, think-tank publications and stakeholder engagement across Europe and Eurasia. He has taught widely in political science and security studies, advised international organisations and policy clients, and brings 15 years of experience in research, project leadership, methodology, and regional political analysis.

Oluwakamiye Tabitha Olorunfemi is a DAAD Helmut Schmidt Scholar and Master’s student in Management in Non-Profit Organisations at Hochschule Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Germany. She currently serves as President of the Student Association for Nonprofit Management e.V., where she contributes to student leadership, engagement, and the practical application of nonprofit management knowledge. She has a background in law, governance, policy research, and nonprofit leadership, with strong interests in global development, institutional effectiveness, gender and social equity, and education policy in low- and middle-income countries. She is the founder of A Child Needs Me Initiative, a nonprofit organisation focused on child welfare and education, and Team Lead of the Oyo State Lily Pads Project, a period poverty initiative that has impacted over 800 girls. As a current student, association president, and emerging nonprofit leader, Oluwakamiye brings a practical and reflective perspective to discussions on nonprofit management, leadership, social impact, and the future of civil society organisations.

Noëmi Sander, Radikale Tochter
Noemi Sander ist als Trainerin, Strategin und Koordinatorin schwerpunktmäßig für politische und gesellschaftliche Organisationen tätig. Sie verbindet Bildungs-und Antidiskriminierungsarbeit in Kreativworkshops. In ihrer Arbeit verknüpft sie die Analyse unterschiedlicher Diskriminierungsformen und deren Wechselwirkungen mit praxisnahen, partizipativen Methoden.Durch interaktive und kreative Formate schafft sie Räume, in denen sich Teilnehmende kritisch mit Machtverhältnissen, Privilegien und feministischen Handlungsstrategien auseinandersetzen können. 

Kaushal Sapkota is a Visiting Researcher at the Chair of Public and Nonprofit Management – ​​HR and Change at the University of Freiburg, where he is conducting a scoping review on race and ethnicity in organizational change and teaching an undergraduate seminar on Nonprofit Board Governance and Leadership. Kaushal is nearing the completion of his Ph.D. in Planning and Public Affairs from the School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management at the University of Oregon, USA. His dissertation examines the individualized, institutionally individualized, and institutionalized contexts of university student volunteering in Nepal, his home country. Kaushal's research and academic interests extend to nonprofit management, higher education's third mission, volunteering, diaspora civil society, and teaching about the third sector. He uses both qualitative and quantitative methods in his work. Kaushal's academic background also includes an Erasmus Mundus joint master's degree in Research and Innovation in Higher Education from the University of Continuing Education Krems, Austria, and Tampere University, Finland, where his thesis was on developing a framework to evaluate third mission initiatives of a business school in Nepal. Kaushal also has a Master of Nonprofit Management from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Business Information Systems from Kathmandu University

Soumya Saxena is a Gender Lead at ActionAid Association, India, working on gender-based violence, women’s rights, and community-led development. Her work focuses on strengthening survivor-centred systems and analysing shifts in funding landscapes and their implications for grassroots feminist organisations. She has contributed to programmes on anti-trafficking, LGBTQ+ rights, and women’s economic empowerment across multiple contexts. Soumya holds a Master’s in Humanitarian Assistance from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, and a law degree from National Law Institute University, Bhopal. Her research interests include feminist political economy, localisation, and the governance of development funding.

Dr. Syed Shah is a postdoctoral researcher based in Berlin, specialising in migration, political sociology, and urban studies. He completed his PhD with distinction and international mention, examining the dynamics of extremism, gender, and social transformation. His current research project, MIRA, explores how populist anti-migrant rhetoric shapes the political agency of migrant communities, particularly women activists, through a combination of discourse analysis and ethnographic fieldwork. His work bridges academic research, policy relevance, and civil society engagement, including his role with the Afghanistan Committee in Berlin. He is currently developing proposals for major European funding schemes, including ERC and MSCA.

Melanie Stein ist Journalistin, Moderatorin, Produzentin und Psychologin. Ihre Arbeit bewegt sich an der Schnittstelle von Digitalem, Politik und Wissenschaft mit einem besonderen Fokus auf konstruktive Formate und gesellschaftlichen Dialog. Sie ist Gründerin und Geschäftsführerin der mehrfach ausgezeichneten Initiative „Wir sind der Osten“, die Brücken zwischen Ost und West baut und demokratische Teilhabe stärkt. Als Host moderierte sie unter anderem das YouTube-Format Diskuthek für Stern sowie den ARD-Podcast Geld machen, Welt retten. Nach ihrem Volontariat beim NDR arbeitete sie für das Medienmagazin ZAPP sowie für Nachrichtenformate von ARD und ZDF.

Dr. Rebecca Wagner completed her PhD at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) and Goethe University Frankfurt, focusing on the resilience of civil society actors in processes of autocratization. She is currently an Associate Researcher with more than 15 years of experience working on international democracy promotion, autocratization, civil society, and elections, both in research and policy. Prior to her doctoral research, she worked in international human rights and democracy promotion, including with a political foundation in Brussels and Berlin. She has also participated in several election observation missions with the OSCE/ODIHR, including deployments to Moldova, Azerbaijan, Albania, the United States, and North Macedonia. Dr. Rebecca Wagner studied at Leiden University (Netherlands), the University of Konstanz (Germany), and Boğaziçi University in Istanbul (Turkey).