Dr Ursula von der Leyen
Minister of Defence

Date of birth: 8 October 1958
Place of birth: Brussels

Political career

• Since December 2013: Minister of Defence
• 2009 - 2013: Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
• 2005 - 2009: Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
• Since December 2004: Member of the Presidium of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) of Germany
• March 2003 to November 2005: Minister for Social Affairs, Women, Family Affairs and Health, Lower Saxony
• 2003 - 2005: Member of the CDU in the State Assembly of Lower Saxony
• 2001 - 2004: Held various local political positions in the region of Hanover
• 1999: Member of the Physicians’ Working Group of the CDU in Lower Saxony
• Since 1990: Member of the CDU

Professional and academic career

• 1998 - 2002: Member of the academic staff, Department of Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health System Research, Hanover Medical School (Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, MHH)
• 1995: Market analysis, Stanford Health Services Hospital Administration
• 1993: Auditing guest, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University
• 1992 - 1996: Lived in Stanford, California, USA
• 1988 - 1992: Assistant physician, Women's Clinic, Hanover Medical School

Education

• 2001: Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
• 1991: Doctorate
• 1987: State examination and licence to practice
• 1980 - 1987: Studied medicine at the Hanover Medical School
• 1978: London School of Economics
• 1977 - 1980: Studied economics, Göttingen and Münster
• 1971 - 1976: Attended grammar school with a special focus on mathematics and science, Lehrte
• 1964 - 1971: European School of Brussels