Gitte Zschoch has been appointed as the new Secretary General of the Goethe-Institut, taking over the role and chairmanship of the board on July 18. She succeeds Johannes Ebert, who has held the position since 2012 and will now lead the institute's regional office in Athens. Zschoch, currently Secretary General of the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (ifa), previously worked for the Goethe-Institut in various roles, including founding director of its branch in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The appointment was confirmed by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and approved by the institute's presidium.
This leadership change matters because the Goethe-Institut is Germany's primary cultural institute abroad, largely funded by the Foreign Office. Zschoch's experience in foreign cultural and education policy positions her to navigate a challenging global landscape marked by rising authoritarianism. Her appointment signals continuity in Germany's cultural diplomacy strategy while bringing fresh leadership to an institution that promotes German language and culture worldwide.