How can European research be made more competitive globally? To address this question, the DFG, the HRK, and the German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat, WR) presented a discussion paper entitled Nexus – Networking excellence – Enabling participation – Transforming European Science in Brussels on 3 March. In it, they propose strengthening the connection between hubs of research excellence within the European Research Area.

The President of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), Professor Walter Rosenthal, and Professor Angela Ittel, HRK Vice-President for International Affairs, Equal Opportunities and Diversity, have signed the international “Declaration of Solidarity with Ilia State University”. The Georgian government’s move to drastically cut the range of courses offered by Ilia State University in Tbilisi is an attack on academic freedom and university autonomy. Back in December, the HRK and partner organisations in Austria, Poland and Slovakia warned against this step, which is based on a national reform concept from October 2025. Despite international warnings, the Georgian government has begun implementing the plan, which will reduce the range of courses offered by Ilia University to barely 10 per cent of the previous offering. The HRK would welcome as many German universities as possible joining the declaration of solidarity.

The digitalisation of studying, teaching, research and administration as well as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in everyday university life are the focus of two projects of the HRK, which are now being funded by the BMFTR as part of the High-Tech Agenda Germany (HTAD). The HRK project KI-LOTSE (National Service Centre for AI in Higher Education) aims to support German universities in tapping into the potential of artificial intelligence. Among other things, the new service centre will develop dialogue and advisory formats and publish guidelines on the legal, technical and organisational integration of AI applications.

The President of the German Rectors' Conference, Prof. Dr. Walter Rosenthal, welcomes the decision that the United Kingdom will rejoin the European Union's Erasmus+ programme from January 2027. After years of intensive talks between the British government and the European Commission following Brexit, an agreement has been reached today that will re-establish valuable mobility and exchange opportunities, particularly for students from the United Kingdom and the European Union.

“The United Kingdom’s return to the Erasmus+ programme is a strong signal in favour of closer cooperation in European higher education. I very much welcome the fact that this agreement has been reached. Erasmus+ is a flagship European project. Like no other programme, it offers unique opportunities for intercultural exchange and personal development to particularly young people in Europe. Students and researchers can immerse themselves in a different academic culture and sharpen their own profile. These are life-changing experiences. The German and British higher education and research systems will benefit immensely from the United Kingdom’s re-entry into the European mobility programme.”

The European Union is currently setting the course for the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10) from 2028 onwards. The DFG, HRK and the Leibniz Association welcome the EU Commission’s decision to maintain a standalone programme of research and innovation funding. However, they call on the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament to improve this programme, which is of central importance to the European Research Area. In the further legislative process, a strong focus should be placed on improving its connection with the new European Competitiveness Fund. FP10 must stand for excellent science, reliable funding programmes and strong collaborative research.

Statement by Prof. Dr. Walter Rosenthal, President of the German Rectors‘ Conference, on the personal threat to Israeli and Jewish academics via an anonymous, now-closed website that offered financial rewards for intimidation and harassment attempts, including death threats, related to the Middle East conflict:

"This inhumane action is breaking taboos and shocks me deeply. Right now, we need a constructive, academic discourse and a rule-based culture of debate instead of boycotts, intimidation, open threats and hatred. Academic freedom and the personal integrity of scholars must be protected at all costs, even in situations of political conflict. That a bounty has been placed on the heads of individual academics, explicitly because they are leading Israeli and Jewish researchers, is intolerable, unprecedented and cannot be justified by any means. My solidarity is with the colleagues affected and their families."