February 01, 2018
Jacobs University mourns the loss of its long-time friend, patron and pioneer Conrad Naber who passed away on Sunday night at the age of 95.
“With Conrad Naber our university loses one of its very first supporters who made a significant contribution to Jacobs University not only from a material point of view, but also through his ideas and visions,” says President Prof. Dr. Michael Hülsmann.
Born in Bremen, Conrad Naber developed his company Nabertherm, based in Lilienthal, into a globally leading manufacturer of industrial furnaces, which was also active in the shipping industry. All his life he felt a deep connection with Bremen and Lilienthal. In particular, the advancement of science, art and culture was close to his heart. Many institutions were able to grow and realize important projects thanks to his generosity – including today's Jacobs University, which was called International University Bremen (IUB) then.
Naber was convinced of the idea of a private, English-medium university in Bremen from the beginning and for this reason also established the “Conrad Naber IUB-Stiftung” foundation with the aim of supporting the new university and, in his own words, its “outstanding significance for Bremen and international relationships”. “We owe Conrad Naber a great debt of gratitude and will honor his memory,” says University President Hülsmann. “Our deepest condolences to his relatives”.