With funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the HRK is supporting universities nationwide in the further development of holistic diversity concepts within the framework of the initiative "Diversity at German Universities". After an independent review process, a total of 33 universities were selected to receive funding of €25,000 or €50,000 in the coming winter semester to implement institutional diversity projects. The projects include innovative event formats, new approaches to monitoring and creative information campaigns.

At its meeting in Trier yesterday, the General Assembly of the HRK approved the admission of the University of Television and Film Munich. The University of Applied Sciences for Social Work, Education and Nursing Dresden was also newly admitted as a new member of the HRK. This means that the HRK currently has 271 members.

Professor Dr Walter Rosenthal, President of the University of Jena, is the new President of the HRK with immediate effect. The General Assembly elected him today in Trier in the first ballot for a period of three years, until 31 July 2026.

Professor Dr.-Ing. Bernd Scholz-Reiter, HRK Vice President for International Affairs and former Rector of the University of Bremen, in his capacity as Vice President has assumed office as acting president of the German Rectors' Conference on April 1, 2023. He takes over on an interim basis from Professor Dr. Peter-André Alt, who has made his office available prematurely, and will hold this position until a new HRK President is elected. The election is scheduled for the 36th HRK General Assembly on May 9, 2023 in Trier.

The HRK will support a total of ten university alliances over the next three years in the joint project 'Transformation Pathways for Sustainable Universities' (traNHSform). This work is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), to accelerate the transformation in science and society towards a culture of sustainability. The HRK will coordinate the project, and together with its implementation partners, the German Society for Sustainability at Universities (DG HochN) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) in Karlsruhe.

The current significant shortage of skilled workers in Germany can only be effectively combated through appropriate political measures and cooperation between the education sectors. Andrea Nahles, Chair of the Federal Employment Agency (BA), and Professor Dr Peter-André Alt, President of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK), were convinced of this during their talks. The lack of qualified staff confronts those responsible with the joint task of enabling as many people as possible to receive education and to develop their potential.