What Berlin university presidents expect from RGR: ‘Ideally a science-only department’ – Wikipedia

There is not much in the exploratory paper from red, green and red in Berlin to science. Seven lines are devoted to this point. “Berlin must remain a global location for science and research and develop further with its university and non-university institutions” is the general central statement – supplementing with some points aimed at: cooperation between science and society, knowledge transfer and spin-offs, good working conditions in Berlin universities.

In the Presidency of the University, it is hoped that the old and perhaps also new coalition partners will focus on the topic of science in their coalition agreement that will now be negotiated. This is evidenced by a survey conducted by Tagesspiegel among the presidents of the three major Berlin universities.

“Be more aggressive with Berlin’s strengths”

“With this strength of Berlin, one has to act more aggressively,” says Kristian Thomsen, president of the Technical University. Under Michael Mueller’s leadership, science was the city’s top priority. says Gunter M. Ziegler, President of the Free University: “It must remain that way.”

Sabine Kunst, president of Humboldt University, says the alliance agreement should reflect how to design a research site of global importance like Berlin. She is curious to see how the topic of science will be “embodied in resource allocation and department design”.

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Thomsen sees a good basis in annual fiscal growth of 3.5 percent of state money, which coalition members had already promised ahead of the election. However, all university presidents believe that additional funds are urgently needed to renovate university buildings. If we have to fund this from university budgets, growth is no longer enough. “Additional funds should be made available for this,” Thomsen says.

‘Countries should not leave universities alone’

Art also considers the 3.5 percent growth to be “great.” However, it is “barely enough for the amount of PN that is already in the system”. Several state initiatives need to be strengthened. A 3.5 percent increase would not be enough to restructure the staffing structure, Kunst said, referring to the controversial new post-doctoral regulations in Berlin University Law.

This pushes the university management even further anyway. Politicians and universities must now address the issue of career paths in science together, says Ziegler: “The state should be open and universities should not be left alone with the new BerlHG.”

The president of TU is self-critical when it comes to publishing documents

In Thomsen’s view, it is necessary to clarify the law of the University of Berlin in the post-doc. On the one hand, this includes a transitional arrangement, and on the other hand, planning for further quality checks in the position’s procedures before postdocs are appointed indefinitely. However, the university administration itself understood the “signal from the university law” to give young scholars more realistic perspectives than before. “We didn’t take #IchbinHanna seriously,” said Thompson, criticizing himself.

Overall, Thomsen would like the alliances to re-emphasize the autonomy of universities. What about the layout of the Senate? The fact that the flag is again located in the Rotes Rathaus with then-governing mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) is as impossible as it is impossible.

Given the importance of science to Berlin, Art desires to see an “independent appreciation of the distinctive political field of Berlin” – in other words: an independent scientific department. Thompson thinks so, too. If this is not reached, it is possible that science will be devoted to culture or economics. “With an independent president as secretary of state, this could go well.” If the ministry moves to the left, he doubts only whether the issue of excellence is in good hands with the party.