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The universities put twelve questions to the political parties in the run-up to the German Bundestag elections
The Senate of the German Rectors' Conference (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz - HRK), meeting in Bonn yesterday, formulated twelve questions for the political parties in the run-up to the German Bundestag elections. These relate to the continuing development of the higher education sector in Germany, to possible concepts on the future financing of higher education institutions, and to further cooperation between Federal Government and the federal states in the field of higher education policy. The questions were sent to the heads of the major parties immediately after the Senate meeting. The HRK intends to publish the incoming answers on its website as a basis for further discussion.1. Compared to the OECD average, Germany reveals a relatively low education participation rate while, at the same time, gaps can already be seen to be opening up in the job market for academics. What will your party do to continue and advance the development of the higher education sector over coming years?
2. The heads of government at federal and state level adopted the University Pact 2020 on 4 June. The first problems with higher education financing are now beginning to appear in the federal states as a result of the economic crisis. Is the financing of the Higher Education Pact 2020 secure under these conditions?
3. Besides creating more study places, the parties have stated that improving teaching and reducing the student drop-out rates are some of their declared goals. How does your party want to ensure that students get the better support, advice and supervision needed for this?
4. The latest amendments to the Basic Law mean that the so-called "debt brake" (Schuldenbremse) introduced to slow down public debt will greatly restrict the financial flexibility of the federal states in the future. What concepts does your party have to ensure that the higher education sector receives a reasonable budget?
5. Compared with other countries, the level of social selectivity in the education system is too high. Financial support for students plays an important role in this context. How does your party want to ensure the financing of studies in the future?
6. What models of higher education financing does your party favour and how important are private components in this respect, such as tuition fees, for example?
7. The core budget for the universities has been falling for some time now, unfortunately. Conversely, the complementary, competition-based financing of projects is becoming ever more important. However, their financing is not provided on a full cost basis, but can rather only be achieved by including core resources. What concepts does your party offer for covering the overheads in an increasingly competitively-financed higher education landscape?
8. Great importance is attached to cooperation between university and non-university research as a means of maximising the innovative potential that exists. Cooperation as between equals is, however, becoming ever more difficult. Non-university research is not only registering constantly increasing growth in its budgets, but also, in terms of how the staff are paid, where greater freedoms also exist (a task for the allocation guidelines). What does your party plan to do in order to strengthen the universities in the competitive market as well as in cooperation with non-university research institutions?
9. What ideas does your party have in respect of future cooperation between Federal Government and the federal states on questions of higher education policy?
10. How does your party see Germany's role in the European Higher Education and Research Area? How do you want to ensure that Germany continues to speak with one voice in Europe, despite the country's federal structure, and that it can exert an influence on the design and shaping of higher education and research policy decisions?
11. European research funding, in particular, focuses strongly on applications and innovation in the field of the natural sciences and engineering. Given this background, how does your party see the mission of the universities and research funding in the field of the arts and humanities, and in the field of artistic education and training?
12. Does your party support the open access strategy adopted by the Alliance in the field of science and research and does it intend to implement the 3rd basket of the amendment to the Copyright Act in the next parliamentary term?
The universities put twelve questions to the political parties in the run-up to the German Bundestag elections [Größe 0.04 MB, Typ pdf]
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