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Uni Reacts to Bremen Government’s Science Plan 2020

The Academic Senate (AS) and the Management of the University have issued a joint statement concerning the Science Plan 2020 put forward by Bremen's Senator for Education and Research. In essence: The University welcomes the plan in principle as it provides Bremen's institutions of tertiary education with a frame for planning up to the year 2020. Nevertheless, the foreseen volume of financing will only just be sufficient to cover the shortfalls that have existed since 2007. Although designed to make up for the University's structurally determined budget deficit, it will do nothing to improve the University's current financial impasse.

As many as 2,000 university places could be lost

In face of the State of Bremen's difficult budgetary situation, the University appreciates the proposed increase in funding. A closer look at the Science Plan 2020, though, gives rise to concern. In view of the expected annual increase in costs, the funding proposed in the new Science Plan equates to a de facto budget reduction of ten percent. This would translate into the loss of some 2,000 places of study. In their joint statement the Academic Senate and the University management point out that this would contradict the intention to increase the number of students in Bremen voiced by Jens Böhrnsen, Bremen's Mayor.

To quote the University of Bremen's Rector, Prof. Bernd Scholz-Reiter: "In order not to jeopardize the University's future success and at the same time to improve conditions for university teaching it is absolutely essential to make a substantial and lasting improvement to the University’s basic institutional funding in an amount higher than that foreseen by the Science Plan. We are talking about another 16 million euros a year that will be needed to maintain university studies at their present level."

In 2015 federal funds will enable improved basic funding

The Rector of the University also suggests how this can be done without burdening the budget of the State of Bremen further. "The opportunity will arise in 2015 when the share of BAFöG financed by the federal states is assumed by the Federal Government. In addition to this, extra funds will be available from the Pact for Research and Innovation, which will then also be financed at the federal level and no longer by Bremen". The share of BAföG financing for university students together with the Innovation Pact funds add up to the missing 16 million euros.

The Rector believes the State of Bremen should face up to its responsibility "to provide the young generation with a sound education and put the science location Bremen and thereby the future of the State of Bremen on a sound footing. The politicians simply have to face up to this important challenge".

Mehrere Frauen und Männer während einer Diskussionsveranstaltung.
Das Uni-Parlament tagte am 18. Juni 2014. Auf dem Bild (v.l.): Die Konrektorinnen Yasemin Karaka?o?lu und Heidi Schelhowe, Rektor Bernd Scholz-Reiter, Protokollführer Klaus Dölle und Kanzler Martin Mehrtens. (Foto: Uni Bremen)