Anti-scientific and anti-democratic views, along with hate speech targeting members of the academic community, are spreading online and increasing worldwide. As science journalist Jan-Martin Wiarda noted in his keynote lecture, a look at the United States is enough to show how quickly the situation can escalate. Even there, few could have imagined that pressure on universities would grow so intense, and that campaigns against issues such as climate research, equality, and diversity would prove so effective.
Universities around the world are facing mounting pressure, and academic freedom is increasingly under threat. This global development is also affecting universities in Germany. At the University of Bremen, there is growing concern about these international developments and the worsening conditions for researchers worldwide. For this reason, the Academic Senate devoted an entire day to the issue in a closed-door meeting. “This issue concerns all of us. When academic freedom is under threat, we are all called upon to build networks, but also to consider how we can strengthen our own resilience,” emphasized President Jutta Günther. Science is being increasingly politicized, and, as Wiarda noted, it takes courage and conviction to withstand such attacks.
Professor Petra Dobner, a political researcher at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, provided insight into the situation at universities in Saxony-Anhalt, where a new state parliament will be elected in September. In this context, questions of democracy education and resilience are especially pressing.
Following an intensive and fruitful discussion, participants agreed that the Academic Senate should continue to address the issue of institutional resilience. In order to strengthen university political engagement, the work of committees such as the Academic Senate must be made more visible within the university. While laws and legally protected institutions are important, but democracy ultimately thrives on the commitment of the people within those institutions.
