 The founding presidium consisted of Harald Spehl (president, professor emeritus Trier University), Silja Graupe (vice-president, professor of economy and philosophy Cusanus Hochschule), Harald Schwaetzer (vice-president) and Frank Vierheilig (managing director of Cusanus Treuhand gGmbH, chancellor of Cusanus Hochschule).The patron saint of Cusanus Hochschule is Nicholas of Cusa, a German philosopher, theologian, jurist and astronomer, who is considered as one of the first German proponents of Renaissance humanism.The idea for the foundation of Cusanus Hochschule initially developed at Kues Academy for the History of European Thought, a network of about 120 academics from the fields of philosophy, economy, the natural sciences, engineering and history.