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Universities voice their demands as the new federal government forms: Greater commitment for education, science and research!
In Magdeburg today, the Senate of the German Rectors' Conference (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz - HRK) defined the elements of foremost importance to universities in future policies on education and research.In their paper, the universities call for a national effort to be made to secure the innovative potential of Germany: "Even though future policies at federal level currently form the prime issue, the federation and the federal states do still share responsibility for shaping and organising education and research in Germany. A number of emerging economies are beginning to overtake us in technologically important research fields. The country cannot afford to let this continue, also in view of its demographic developments that even today already allow us to foresee a lack of highly-qualified experts and specialists in a few years time," continues the paper.
Universities have a central role to play in the development of a knowledge society. This must be reflected in the plan of action that the new federal government adopts.
Specifically, the paper lists the following ten concrete points:
1. The policy of reform must not be allowed to carry on stagnating, but must rather be continued at an increased rate in order to facilitate budgetary redistribution in favour of education and research.
2. Public and private spending on education, research and development must be increased substantially.
3. A fundamental review of the German research landscape is overdue and is needed so that, in the face of limited resources, Germany can perform successfully in the ever more intense pressure of competition, worldwide as well as within Europe.
4. In their capacity as organisational centres of education and research, universities must be given much greater support.
5. The wide range of services covered by the universities must be preserved and complemented by increasing competition in order to achieve globally visible top-rate results.
6. Federal government and the federal states must work together to provide the education and research system with greater support.
7. The resolute withdrawal of the state from the education and research system must be accelerated.
8. The formation of a European Education and Research Area must be a key topic in German politics, at federal and state level.
9. The internationalisation of Germany's education and research system must be driven forward.
10. The legislator must create education and research friendly statutory frameworks.
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