Bernhard Heisig's professional life was closely linked to the Academy of Visual Arts. He was a student here between 1949 and 1951 and returned to the HGB in 1954 as an assistant for graphic design after a short period of freelance work. By 1956 he was already teaching as a lecturer, and from 1961 to 1968 as a professor of graphic art. At that time, he was rector of the university for the first time between 1961 and 1964. In 1972 he became a member of the Academy of Arts of the GDR and from 1976 to 1987 he was again rector of the HGB and, as professor of painting, head of a specialised class and a master class. During this time, painting established itself as an important pillar of the art academy programme in Leipzig. With the establishment of the HGB gallery, he created a place for encounters with international art trends. After his participation in documenta 6, interest in his art and that of his Leipzig colleagues also grew in Western countries. After his retirement, he continued his masterclass until September 1990.