Klaus Fleischer was a member of this committee for almost two decades, i. e. from 1986 to 2005 and he served it with great professional dedication, huge foresight for world church matters, and the deep conviction that academic support entails human-centred responsibility. From the very beginning, he advocated for international medical research and saw himself as a committed mediator between European medicine and health realities in the Global South. His pioneering work not only highly respected within the medical selection process for KAAD scholarships but also contributed significantly to numerous KAAD educational events in Germany and abroad.
As Professor for Tropical Medicine and long-serving Chief Physician at the Missionsärztliche Klinik in Würzburg (1972–2004), Klaus Fleischer played a leading role in shaping international medical cooperation. His medical work was guided by the principle that “health is a human right” – an understanding that becomes evident in his work with KAAD. When assessing applications, he consistently demonstrated a keen sense for professional excellence as well as an awareness of social circumstances, cultural contexts, and the potential for responsible impact in the applicants’ home societies.
He never regarded tropical medicine as a purely academic discipline, but as an ethical and political field of engagement in the spirit of global solidarity. He brought this conviction into KAAD’s selection processes, frequently highlighting structural disadvantages in access to education and healthcare – especially for applicants from African countries.
Klaus Fleischer had a special and strong connection to Ghana – not only through personal contacts, but also through his commitment to higher education in the country. His initiative helped establish ties with the Jakob-Christian-Adam Foundation, which generously funded scholarships at the Catholic University of Ghana. Strengthening this institution academically was one of Klaus Fleischer’s core concerns.
In recognition of his many years of service on the Academic Council and his lasting contributions to international education, Klaus Fleischer was awarded the Bene Merenti Medal by KAAD. Even after retiring, he remained closely connected to the organisation. His personal friendship with Cardinal Peter Turkson, former President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, opened valuable opportunities for dialogue – including receptions of KAAD delegations in Rome, where global church networks were deepened and educational perspectives expanded.
As recently as May 2025, Klaus Fleischer once again became active on behalf of KAAD in Würzburg: at an event organised by the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, he invited head of Middle East department Nils Fischer to speak about KAAD’s work in the Holy Land. His dedication that evening underscored how deeply KAAD’s mission continued to resonate with him, even after his formal service on the Academic Council had ended.
In Klaus Fleischer, KAAD has lost a personality who bridged academia and the global Church in a unique way – reliable, approachable, and marked by a profound sense of responsibility for those for whom academic education is both a life opportunity and a calling. We will remember him with deep gratitude.
