Dr. Carola Roloff (Bhikṣuṇī Jampa Tsedroen)

Tibetologist, Buddhologist, and ordained Buddhist nun

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Current Position and Research:

Senior Research Fellow at the Faculty of Education, University of Hamburg

Visiting Professor (2018–2025) of Buddhism at the Academy of World Religions, University of Hamburg

Since April 2025, Dr. Roloff has been serving as a Senior Research Fellow in the field of “Pluralistic Dialogical Religious Education” at the University of Hamburg.

From 2018 to March 2025, she was Visiting Professor of Buddhism and Dialogue in Modern Societies at the Academy of World Religions at the University of Hamburg.

Her research focuses on Buddhist ethics, Buddhist perspectives in pluralistic religious education, interreligious dialogue, gender issues in Buddhism, and recognition processes of Buddhist minorities in Europe.

Completed Research Projects:

  • The European Research Project “Religion and Dialogue in Modern Societies” (ReDi)
  • DFG project “Die buddhistische Nonnenordination im tibetischen Kanon, ihre Darstellung in den tibetischen Kommentaren und Möglichkeiten zur Erneuerung des Nonnenordens im tibetischen Buddhismus“

Academic Career:

  • 2009
    • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Hamburg (degree conferred 08/04/2009; summa cum laude)
    • Dissertation title: “Red mda' ba. Buddhist Yogi Scholar of the Fourteenth Century. The Forgotten Reviver of Madhyamaka Philosophy in Tibet.”
    • Supervisor: Prof. Dr. David P. Jackson (Department of India and Tibet, Asia-Africa Institute, Faculty of Humanities)
    • Examiners: Prof. Dr. Michael Zimmermann (University of Hamburg), Prof. Dr. Eva Neumaier (University of Calgary)
  • 2003
    • Master of Arts in Language and Culture of Tibet (first major) and Language and Culture of Ancient and Medieval India, Focus on Buddhism (second major)
    • (degree awarded 30/09/2019; magna cum laude)
    • Dissertation title: „Red mda’ pa (1349-1412) und Tsong kha pa (1357-1419): zwei zentrale Figuren des tibetischen Buddhismus und ihr wechselseitiges Lehrer- Schüler-Verhältnis“
    • Supervisors: Prof. Dr. David P. Jackson, Prof. Dr. Lambert Schmithausen

Professional Employment (Continuing Academic Posts):

  • 2018 - 2025
    • Permanent Visiting Professor for Buddhism and Dialogue in Modern Societies
    • Academy of World Religions, University of Hamburg
  • 2013 - 2018
    • Postdoctoral Research Fellow Academy of World Religions, University of Hamburg
    • ReDi Project “Religion and Dialogue in Modern Societies”
    • funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
  • 2012
  • 2010 – 2013
    • Postdoctoral Research Fellow (independent investigator)
    • on “The Buddhist nuns’ ordination in the Tibetan canon”
    • University of Hamburg
    • funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

Awards, Grants and Scholarships:

  • 31/10/2015
    • Prolongation of DFG project until 31/07/2017 (cost-neutral)
  • 23/01/2013
    • 3-year prolongation of Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) project
  • 04/07/2011
    • Karl H. Ditze Award for outstanding doctoral thesis
  • 03/2011
    • Erasmus short-term lectureship
  • 2009
    • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), 3-years
  • 2008 – 2009
    • PhD stipend Tara Foundation, Munich (2 years)
  • 2007
    • Research grant Tara Foundation, Munich (for expedition to India)
  • 2007
    • Travel grant Foundation for Buddhist Studies, Hamburg (award-giving Bangkok, Thailand)
  • 2005 – 2007
    • PhD stipend Tibetan Centre Hamburg, Germany
  • 1999 –2002
    • Government grant “Bafög,” (under)graduate scholarship, Germany

Visiting Positions:

  • 01/2022 – 06/2022
    • Docent (External lecturer with Professor competence) University of Oslo, The Faculty of Theology
  • 01/2020 – 06/2020
    • Docent (External lecturer with Professor competence) University of Oslo, The Faculty of Theology
  • 04/2018 – 07/2018
    • Lecturer, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, Faculty of Protestant Theology, Department Interreligious Learning
  • 10/2017 – 03/2018
    • Lecturer, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, Faculty of Protestant Theology, Department Interreligious Learning
  • 10/2016 – 03/2017
    • Lecturer, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, Faculty of Protestant Theology, Department Interreligious Learning
  • 10/2016
    • Visiting scholar at Smith College, Massachusetts (USA)
  • 06/2016
    • Lecturer, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Faculty of Protestant Theology SS 2016
  • 10/2015 – 03/2016
    • Lecturer, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, Faculty of Protestant Theology, Department Interreligious Learning
  • 2002 – 2010
    • Teacher, 7-year Systematic Studies of Buddhism, adult education, Tibetan Centre Hamburg
  • 1996 – 2017
    • Lecturer and Co-Lecturer, University of Hamburg:
      • Department for Continuing Education (Arbeitsstelle für Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung) (10/1996 - 09/1997)
      • Asia-Africa-Institute (10/2009-03/2010), Department of India and Tibet (04/2010 - 09/2010)
      • Academy of World Religions (10/2010 – 03/2011; 04/2012 – 09/2012; 04/2013 – 09/2013; 04/2015 – 09/2015; 10/2015 – 03/2016;)
      • Numata Center for Buddhist Studies & the Women in Buddhism Study Initiative (04/2014 – 09/2014)
  • 1988 – 2002
    • Tutor, 7-year Systematic Studies of Buddhism, adult education, Tibetan Centre Hamburg

Professional Memberships:

  • 2021 – Member of Religions for Peace
  • 2019 – Member of the Runder Tisch der Religionen (Round table of religions for the German Buddhist Union e.V.)
  • 2019 – Member of the Board of Trustees Department Theology of Peace Churches (Arbeitsstelle Theologie der Friedenskirchen), Faculty of Protestant Theology, University of Hamburg
  • 2018 – Member of the Adivisory Board of the European Society of Women in Theological Research (ESWTR, German Section)
  • 2018 – Chair Brambosch-Schaelen-Stiftung der Deutschen Buddhistischen Union e.V., Berlin
  • 2018 – Member of Remid, Religionswissenschaftlicher Medien-und Informationsdienst e.V.
  • 2017 – Member of the The European Society for Intercultural Theology and Interreligious Studies (ESITIS)
  • 2015 – Chair Foundation for Buddhist Studies (Studienstiftung für Buddhismus), Hamburg (Deputy Chairperson 2012–2015)
  • 2014 – Editorial Board Member of Journal of Buddhist Ethics
  • 2011 – Associate Post-doctoral Local Researcher Khyentse Center for Tibetan Buddhist Textual Scholarship at the University of Hamburg
  • 2009 – Member of the International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABS)
  • 2009 – Research fellow and Member of Faculty Numata Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of Hamburg
© Carola Roloff / Jampa Tsedroen · 2025