Germany - Research Professional News https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/category/europe/europe-germany/ Research policy, research funding and research politics news Tue, 23 Jul 2024 12:27:35 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.5 German academic exchange body hit by proposed funding cuts https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-daad-disappointed-by-proposed-funding-cuts/ Tue, 23 Jul 2024 11:39:51 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/?p=531022 DAAD fears smaller budget will limit its effectiveness

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DAAD fears smaller budget will limit its effectiveness

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has criticised a proposed €13 million cut in its budget for 2025, just as the organisation was preparing to celebrate its centenary. 

“In view of DAAD’s 100th anniversary next year, the planned cuts in our basic funding hurt us very much,” said DAAD president Joybrato Mukherjee in a statement.

“In its coalition agreement, the federal government… promised DAAD an annual increase in its basic funding of 3 per cent. With the current draft, it is not honouring its own target.

“Foreign cultural, educational and scientific policy is of fundamental importance for our country. Academic cooperation with our international partners will be noticeably weakened,” he added. 

Basic funding

The federal government’s current draft budget for 2025 provides DAAD with €205 million in basic funding from the foreign office, the statement said. But for the current year, the German Bundestag approved a budget of €218m. So, if the new draft budget for next year is agreed, it would mean a funding shortfall of 6 per cent. 

This basic funding allows DAAD to function and supports scholarships for international students and the funding of German academics. It also funds lecturers at universities around the world, as well as cooperation between German universities and international partners, the statement said.

DAAD also receives funding for worldwide academic exchanges from several public donors. The largest amounts are provided by other federal ministries, notably the research and international development ministries. 

Mukherjee said he hoped the planned cuts will be re-examined in further discussions in the German Bundestag before they take effect. 

Crucial international role

In a separate statement, the German U15 group of leading research universities criticised the proposed cuts both to DAAD and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH).

Those two organisations are “crucial for maintaining Germany’s position in the global scientific system”, it said in a statement.

“The cuts in the basic funding of both organisations, which have now been approved by the cabinet, are irritating and undermine the importance that the federal government itself attaches to the… international nature of the German scientific system,” it said.

Chairman of the German U15 board Michael Hoch said: “The cuts would noticeably weaken international academic cooperation and the German science system.”

The government has emphasised the importance of foreign cultural and educational policy and scientific diplomacy for an integrated security policy for Germany in its national security strategy published last year, the group’s statement said.

‘Promote understanding of Germany’

In its strategy document, the federal government recognised that it relies heavily on efficient intermediary organisations such as the DAAD and the AvH to achieve its goals. The federal government explicitly stated it wanted to strengthen these bodies to help promote understanding of Germany and encourage networking with colleagues around the world, the German U15 statement said.

Moreover, just four weeks ago, government adopted a new strategy on the internationalisation of universities, which emphasised the “outstanding role of international scientific cooperation in securing Germany’s innovative strength and as a basic requirement for excellent research, teaching and transfer”, the university group said.

German U15 represents the interests of research-intensive and internationally visible German universities. The U15 universities educate almost a third of all German and international students, and supervise half of all doctoral theses completed in Germany. The U15 universities also attract two-fifths of public third-party funding, and as much as 60 per cent of funds in the biomedical sector, according to the statement.

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Volkswagen Foundation offers €10m for Earth sciences https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-volkswagen-foundation-offers-10m-for-earth-sciences/ Tue, 23 Jul 2024 11:21:47 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/?p=531023 Professorships established to create fresh perspectives on our planet

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Professorships established to create fresh perspectives on our planet

The Volkswagen Foundation is funding six junior professorships with the aim of “re-orienting research and teaching at universities in order to develop a comprehensive perspective on the Earth system”.

The foundation issued a call for applicants to the €10 million Earth System Sciences funding initiative, requiring the submission of a research agenda, together with an overarching strategic concept. Individual applicants could be eligible for up to €1.5m in funding for up to six years, according to the foundation’s statement.

The board-approved projects include studies of what it calls Anthropocene phenomena, or human-induced changes, including an examination of the effects of climate change on biodiversity. Other projects will look at the contribution of silicate weathering to CO2 emissions, plate tectonics and processes in the Earth’s interior and their influence on the atmosphere, and compare the effects of similar processes on Venus. 

Earth System Sciences strive to understand the complex multifactorial processes that shape our world by employing a systems approach that assimilates data from different disciplines, the statement said. 

The Volkswagen Foundation describes itself as Germany’s largest private, non-profit organisation engaged in the promotion and support of academic research. It is not affiliated to the car manufacturer but was created from the sale of government shares in the company after the Second World War. 

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Germany news roundup: 17-23 July https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-germany-news-roundup-17-23-july/ Tue, 23 Jul 2024 11:02:54 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-germany-news-roundup-17-23-july/ This week: public health initiative, cuts in Hesse funding, Saarland University defends academic freedom

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This week: public health initiative, cuts in Hesse funding, Saarland University defends academic freedom

In depth: The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has criticised a proposed €13 million cut in its budget for 2025, just as the organisation was preparing to celebrate its centenary. 

Full story : DAAD disappointed by proposed funding cuts


 

Also this week from Research Professional News…

Volkswagen Foundation offers €10m for Earth sciences – Professorships established to create fresh perspectives on our planet


 

Here is the rest of the German news this week… 

Government approves public health initiative

The German government has adopted a draft law aimed at improving public health, including the creation of a Federal Institute for Prevention and Education in Medicine (Bipam), according to a statement from the health ministry. The new institute will be established as an independent federal authority at the beginning of 2025 and take over the tasks of the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) and parts of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). “Germany must finally move from the bottom of the European league table to the top in terms of prevention and early detection of cancer and heart disease. Prevention through education and early detection must be strengthened,” said health minister Karl Lauterbach. Bipam will have its headquarters in Cologne and a branch office in Berlin. 

Protests against Hesse university cuts

The ver.di and GEW trade unions have joined student representatives in criticising planned cuts in funding for universities in the state of Hesse, a GEW statement said. “Cutting back on science is a fatal signal, especially in times of technological transformation and social upheaval,” said ver.di representative Daniel Behruzi. “The planned cuts would significantly restrict research and teaching. University employees and students are joining forces to fight against this.” After the allocations to universities in Hesse were reduced by €34 million in this year’s supplementary budget, further cuts are threatened for 2025, the statement said.

Saarland University’s fears over academic freedom

The Senate of Saarland University has expressed concerns about an amendment to the Saarland Higher Education Act, which it believes is likely to have negative effects on academic independence. The amendment shifts power to the state in establishing performance agreements and determining targets, a statement from the university explained. “The Senate feels obliged to defend university autonomy and academic freedom if necessary,” it said.

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Germany news roundup: 10-16 July https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-germany-news-roundup-10-16-july/ Tue, 16 Jul 2024 12:02:42 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-germany-news-roundup-10-16-july/ This week: support for young scientists, a quantum technology centre and a Californian collaboration

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This week: support for young scientists, a quantum technology centre and a Californian collaboration

In depth: The German Environment Agency (UBA) is working well but could do even better, according to an evaluation by the Wissenschaftsrat, a science and humanities council that advises the government.

Full story: Environment agency ‘should step up its research efforts’


 

Also this week from Research Professional News

German funder backs exploration of the ‘unknown unknown’—Fifteen high-risk projects receive nearly €8 million from Volkswagen Foundation


 

Here is the rest of the German news this week…

Positive evaluation for project to help young scientists

Germany’s Joint Science Conference (GWK), which coordinates science policy between the state and federal governments, has “unanimously welcomed” the results of a joint governmental programme set up to support young scientists. The aim of the scheme is to make the career paths of young scientists in universities more transparent and easier to plan, including through the establishment of “up to 1,000” tenure track professorships, the GWK said on 12 July. The group’s evaluation shows that this process is well underway, with 971 professorships created since the programme’s adoption in 2016. “The evaluation also shows that the attractiveness of the German science system has been increased and that equal opportunities and the compatibility of work and family life have been strengthened,” the GWK said.

Baden-Württemberg funds quantum technology centre

The state of Baden-Württemberg has provided €4.7 million to establish a graduate school in quantum technology. The school’s programme is open to young researchers from all over Baden-Württemberg and is a collaboration between the University of Stuttgart, Ulm University and the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart. “Quantum technology offers unimagined possibilities—from high-performance quantum computers to ultra-sensitive sensors and navigation in space. To make the leap from theory to practice, we need highly trained specialists in science and industry,” said state science minister Petra Olschowski.

Dortmund and California to collaborate

The Technical University of Dortmund has signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of California, Berkeley. The memorandum covers possible collaborations in research and the organisation of joint conferences, workshops and seminars. Both sides also want to explore ways to enable exchange visits for professors as well as for postdocs, doctoral students and master’s students, Dortmund said. “I am sure that scientists in North Rhine-Westphalia will benefit from the partnership just as much as their colleagues in California,” said the state’s science minister Ina Brandes.

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Environment agency ‘should step up its research efforts’ https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-environment-agency-should-step-up-its-research-efforts/ Tue, 16 Jul 2024 11:51:33 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-environment-agency-should-step-up-its-research-efforts/ Advisory council “sees untapped opportunities for more publications in high-ranking journals” at German agency

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Advisory council “sees untapped opportunities for more publications in high-ranking journals” at German agency

The German Environment Agency (UBA) is working well but could do even better, according to an evaluation by the Wissenschaftsrat, a science and humanities council that advises the government.

The UBA has developed in an “extremely positive” direction since its last evaluation in 2015, the council said. It enjoys an excellent reputation for its research achievements, both nationally and internationally, has “outstanding” research infrastructure and attracts a large amount of third-party funding.

However, the UBA should make more of its scientific potential and would benefit from the support of a scientific advisory board, the council said. “The Wissenschaftsrat sees…untapped opportunities for more scientific publications in high-ranking journals,” it said.

It advised the UBA to develop a publication strategy that enables appropriate use of its scientific output. In addition, cooperation with national and international research institutions and universities should be intensified, as should collaborations with other departmental research institutions.

The UBA is a research institution of the environment ministry. It advises the ministry on the development of laws, administrative regulations and environmental protection measures. The agency’s tasks also include advising and informing the public, and it has its own laboratories and facilities to collect and analyse environmental data on air and water quality.

Greater accessibility

The council also recommended that the UBA make its research infrastructures and data more accessible, for example by providing better access to external scientists.

“The UBA provides very good science-based policy advice. However, it can further enhance its reputation and thus the persuasiveness of its expertise by sharpening its profile as a research institution and making its work more visible internationally,” said Wissenschaftsrat chair Wolfgang Wick.

The council recognised that there is already good cooperation between the UBA and the environment ministry, which provides “adequate” funding for the agency’s work and enables it to manage its budget flexibly. However, it sees a need for greater investment in the agency’s IT infrastructure to improve its management of data.

The council also recommended that staff should be appointed to establish a qualification programme for doctoral students and postdocs at the UBA.

Agriculture changes

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the Wissenschaftsrat recommended a “reorientation of agricultural, food and nutritional sciences” to help guide changes in agriculture and food production.

In a report commissioned by the agriculture ministry, it noted that more than 800 million people worldwide suffer from hunger, while around two billion are overweight. The way food today is produced and processed contributes to climate change and biodiversity loss and can create precarious working conditions, it said.

The world’s agriculture and food production systems will have to be fundamentally transformed if these problems are to be rectified. The agricultural, food and nutrition sciences can make a significant contribution to this process and can rise to the challenge, the Wissenschaftsrat said.

Although all the relevant disciplines are firmly established in the German scientific community and enjoy international recognition, “they are at the same time fragmented and not sufficiently aligned with the necessary transformation tasks”.

The disciplines must “reorient themselves and work together systematically…in order to help solve the major problems associated with global nutrition”, said Wick.

The council offered a number of recommendations to strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation and exchanges and improve transdisciplinary research.

It believes there is a need to create incentives and funding structures, open up research infrastructures for collaboration, develop common standards for research data management, align study programmes with the requirements of the transformation, establish a systemic approach to science communication, organise cross-departmental policy advice and create several food system research hubs.

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German funder backs exploration of the ‘unknown unknown’ https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-german-funder-backs-exploration-of-the-unknown-unknown/ Tue, 16 Jul 2024 11:00:06 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-german-funder-backs-exploration-of-the-unknown-unknown/ Fifteen high-risk projects receive nearly €8 million from Volkswagen Foundation

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Fifteen high-risk projects receive nearly €8 million from Volkswagen Foundation

The Volkswagen Foundation is providing €7.9 million in funding for 15 high-risk projects under an initiative called Pioneering Projects: Explorations of the Unknown Unknown.

The funding initiative is aimed at scientists who have completed their doctorates, offering up to €1.3m for projects lasting up to five years.

In some cases, the projects may lead to important breakthroughs that significantly advance the respective research area or even trigger a paradigm shift, the foundation said on 11 July. “All of them now have the chance to achieve major breakthroughs in basic research—or to fail to meet their goals. Both options are an integral part of the funding concept.”

Theresa Greupner, co-leading the initiative at the foundation, said: “We want to encourage scientists to pursue unconventional ideas and develop bold visions. The risk of failure is of course high, but we firmly believe this type of research can lead to significant breakthroughs.”

The 15 funded projects include exploring the possible transmission of mood via plasma transfer, investigating how radiation and light affect certain cells of the central nervous system and researching why people sometimes make different decisions when they have the same information.

The next deadline in the funding initiative is 3 September.

The Volkswagen Foundation, based in Hannover, is not affiliated to the car manufacturer, but was created from the sale of government shares in the company after the Second World War.

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Germany news roundup: 3-9 July https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-germany-news-roundup-3-9-july/ Tue, 09 Jul 2024 09:36:58 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-germany-news-roundup-3-9-july/ This week: recycling lab equipment, clinical research law passed, Berlin and Munich top DAAD scholarships

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This week: recycling lab equipment, clinical research law passed, Berlin and Munich top DAAD scholarships

In depth: Germany has been losing its innovative strength and competitiveness—reversing the trend will require money, vision and the courage to restructure the nation’s research institutions, science funders have warned 

Full story: German funders worry over country’s competitiveness
 



Also this week from Research Professional News…

DFG reprimands researcher over plagiarism in funding bidInvestigative committee rejects claim that partner was at fault
 



Here is the rest of the German news this week…

Physical society urges reuse of equipment 

The German Physical Society (DPG) called on universities and state governments to increase efforts to reuse and repair scientific equipment and other research infrastructure. “Repairing and reusing scientific equipment can significantly reduce the environmental impact of research,” said DPG president Klaus Richter. Equipment is often lost when researchers move to another university or retire. Also, many items of equipment are not reused because potential new users and those giving up the equipment may not know about each other and no funds are provided for transport, assembly and general overhaul, the DPG said.

Parliament passes law to speed up clinical research 

Parliament has passed the Medical Research Act, intended to “significantly improve the framework conditions for the development, authorisation and manufacture of medicinal products and medical devices in Germany and create incentives for research”, the health ministry said in a statement. Authorisation and conduct of clinical trials will be simplified and accelerated, the statement said. “To this end, we are optimising the cooperation between the drug regulatory authorities, enabling the specialisation and harmonisation of ethics committees, and creating the basis for binding standard contract clauses. For clinical trials that are only conducted in Germany, we are reducing the processing time to 26 days,” the ministry said.

Berlin and Munich grab most DAAD scholarships

Universities in Berlin, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony gained the most funding from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in 2023, the organisation said in a statement. The top 10 universities each received between €8 million and €15m in total. The Technical University of Munich took the top spot, followed by the Technical University of Berlin and the Technical University of Dresden, each with €11m. The most successful universities in relation to their size were the University of Applied Sciences Schmalkalden, the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences and the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal.

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German funders worry over country’s competitiveness https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-german-funders-worry-over-country-s-competitiveness/ Tue, 09 Jul 2024 09:35:33 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-german-funders-worry-over-country-s-competitiveness/ Joint report offers ideas on future-proofing the science system

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Joint report offers ideas on future-proofing the science system

Germany has been losing its innovative strength and competitiveness, and reversing the trend will require money, vision and the courage to restructure research institutions, science funders have said.

These views appear in a joint statement by the Volkswagen Foundation, a large private research funder, and the Stifterverband, the science funders’ association.

Their analysis, in a paper titled Dare to change: new actions for a university and science system of the future, is accompanied by recommendations for “future-proofing” the science system.  

The bodies cite international university and innovation rankings, such as those from the EU and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, as evidence of the country’s decline.

Investment in the higher education and science system remains high but it is questionable whether funding is used efficiently in the federal university system when there are so many non-university scientific institutions and alliances, the paper says.

It also identifies a “lack of international competitiveness” as a key weakness of the German academic system.

“The salary structure in the predominantly publicly funded part of the system is rarely internationally competitive,” the paper adds. 

“Career paths, especially in the early stages of the academic career, are uncertain, and the transfer of ideas and technologies from universities to business, public administration and other sectors is slow. The supervision ratio is poor and the bureaucratic burden is enormous.”

Accounting for unpredictability

“The universities and research institutions of the future must be able to adapt to the dynamics and unpredictability of change,” said Volkswagen Foundation secretary-general Georg Schütte. 

The German research system must respond accordingly, and this requires a national effort and joint action, as well as learning from European partners, he said.

“The prerequisite for a successful transformation process in the university and science system requires the involvement of all partners in science, politics and society at federal and state level,” added Stifterverband secretary-general Volker Meyer-Guckel.

Creating opportunities to try new approaches and introducing an ongoing critical review of the progress would ensure that “adjustments can be made flexibly in order to successfully realise the vision of a future-proof science system…It is time to break new ground,” he said.

Need for resilience

The paper is based on discussions with science policymakers from federal and state governments, as well as representatives from universities and science institutions. The discussions encompassed issues such as what a modern science system should look like and how the current system could be restructured, according to the statement.

“We need a resilient science system, one that is prepared for the unforeseen,” the paper says. 

“We need one that can react dynamically to new situations, that offers orientation in a time of continuous change…But that costs money, and it also requires vision and the courage to make a new start, to restructure and to refocus.”

The two organisations outlined the steps to achieve their “vision of a future-proof science system”. This involves strengthening strategic capability and giving universities more control; adapting funding to a system that aligns with national research and science policy goals; and creating a framework that enables various sectors of science, business and administration to collaborate without encountering bureaucratic hurdles.

Other challenges involve pooling the resources of outstanding research and innovation bodies, promoting agility and being more prepared to take risks. 

The paper also urges a new approach to politics that puts future-oriented and internationally competitive development goals for German science ahead of budget negotiations between federal and state governments.

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DFG reprimands researcher over plagiarism in funding bid https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-dfg-reprimands-researcher-over-plagiarism-in-funding-bid/ Tue, 09 Jul 2024 08:20:36 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-dfg-reprimands-researcher-over-plagiarism-in-funding-bid/ Investigations committee rejects claim that partner was at fault

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Investigations committee rejects claim that partner was at fault

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has reprimanded a researcher and excluded him from submitting applications for two years due to scientific misconduct.

The researcher was accused of taking passages from two scientific articles and an internet source almost word-for-word in a funding application to an international cooperation programme, without making this sufficiently clear, the DFG said on 5 July.

These accusations were investigated by the committee that examines accusations of scientific misconduct, even though the application had already been rejected for “technical reasons”, the DFG said.

The funder said the researcher admitted to the committee that he had used the material but claimed that his international collaboration partner had written the majority of the material in the proposal. He also cited technical and time-pressure problems in preparing the proposal.

Despite these explanations, the DFG committee considered the case to constitute plagiarism and did not accept the claim that responsibility should be assigned to the international partner. As co-author of the funding application, the researcher had adopted the content as his own and, as the applicant, he bore responsibility for adhering to the rules of good scientific practice, it said.

 

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Germany news roundup: 26 June to 2 July https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-germany-news-roundup-26-june-to-2-july/ Tue, 02 Jul 2024 08:55:36 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-germany-news-roundup-26-june-to-2-july/ This week: a cybersecurity alliance, antisemitism discussions and a Max Planck relocation

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This week: a cybersecurity alliance, antisemitism discussions and a Max Planck relocation

In depth: Science minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger has responded to claims that her ministry had plans to withdraw funding from researchers who signed a letter defending pro-Palestinian protesters.

Full story: Minister explains role in row over pro-Palestinian researchers


 

Also this week from Research Professional News

Brandenburg to get a medical school as part of broader revival—New centre is intended to bring good jobs to economically depressed region 


 

Here is the rest of the German news this week…

NRW institutions launch Security Operation Center

All 16 universities of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia, together with art and music colleges and the German Sport University in Cologne, have launched an online security collaboration. The Security Operation Center will check the IT systems of the participating universities for possible vulnerabilities, provide information on threats and search the darknet for data from the universities. If hackers manage to break into a system, the centre can also support the universities with forensic analysis and damage control. The NRW state government is funding the project with €5.3 million over three years. 

MPs discuss antisemitism in research

A parliamentary committee on education, research and technology assessment has held a public discussion on antisemitism at universities and colleges. Invited experts unanimously called for action against antisemitism within higher education and research institutions and criticised pro-Palestinian protest camps at some German universities, according to the committee. The experts demanded that Jewish people should be able to live, learn and study in freedom and safety.

Max Planck institute moves to new building

A new building for the Max Planck Institute for Physics has been established at the Garching campus near Munich. Founded by Albert Einstein in Berlin in 1917, the institute initially relocated to Göttingen and then to Munich in 1958. The new location is close to four other Max Planck institutes, covering astrophysics, plasma physics, extraterrestrial physics and quantum optics. The Max Planck Society funded the project with €72.8 million. “The new building symbolises the institute’s future and research potential,” said society president Patrick Cramer.

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Brandenburg to get a medical school as part of broader revival https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-brandenburg-to-get-a-medical-school-as-part-of-broader-revival/ Tue, 02 Jul 2024 08:50:05 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-brandenburg-to-get-a-medical-school-as-part-of-broader-revival/ New centre is intended to bring good jobs to economically depressed region

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New centre is intended to bring good jobs to economically depressed region

A new university hospital is being created as a key part of plans to revive the depressed post-industrial region of Brandenburg, in the far east of Germany

Chancellor Olaf Scholz attended a ceremony in the city of Cottbus to mark the founding of the first medical school in the state. “The establishment of a university hospital is a good idea for Cottbus, for the wider region of Lusatia, for the Brandenburg state and for Germany,” he said.

The university hospital, which is being financed partly by the federal government, aims to help promote structural change in a region severely affected by the phasing-out of coal production, a government statement said.

The federal government is providing €1.9 billion to support the construction of the university hospital, from a total fund of €10.3 billion intended support the regeneration of the Lusatia region.

The university hospital will make a significant contribution to the changes in the region, Scholz said. It will be an important centre for both medical training and research. Up to 200 doctors will be trained there every year, with 80 professorships and 1,300 new jobs for other medical and support staff.

A new depot for high-speed trains, an industrial park and a new university hospital will not by themselves secure the future of an entire region, “but all of this together is unique in Germany”, Scholz said.

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Minister explains role in row over pro-Palestinian researchers https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-minister-explains-role-in-row-over-pro-palestinian-researchers/ Tue, 02 Jul 2024 08:47:46 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-7-minister-explains-role-in-row-over-pro-palestinian-researchers/ Stark-Watzinger says she demanded a clarification of actions proposed by dismissed colleague

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Stark-Watzinger says she demanded a clarification of actions proposed by dismissed colleague

Science minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger has responded to claims that her ministry had plans to withdraw funding from researchers who signed a letter defending pro-Palestinian protesters. 

The parliamentary committee on education, research and technology assessment questioned her ministry’s response to the letter from a group of lecturers, which had condemned the clearing of a pro-Palestinian camp at the Free University of Berlin.

Subsequently, emails from her ministry, which were leaked to the public, revealed that someone in the ministry had demanded the authors be investigated. That person had wanted to know whether the letter was lawful and if the ministry could withdraw funding from those responsible.

Stark-Watzinger acknowledged that it was her colleague, state secretary Sabine Döring, who had initiated this investigation. Döring was dismissed around the middle of June.

On 13 May, Döring commissioned a legal review of the incidents at the Free University of Berlin by telephone, Stark-Watzinger told the committee. That order could have been understood to mean that both a legal review and an examination of possible funding consequences should be carried out, she said.

However, there was no examination of funding consequences of the letter at the time and Stark-Watzinger said she had no knowledge of the matter until 11 June.

No request

The minister insisted that she had made no request to have the authors of the letter investigated, or for their funding to be examined. Immediately after she learnt of her colleague’s proposed action she demanded a clarification, she said.

The minister confirmed that she had commissioned a legal review of the open letter. This had shown that the contents were “within the constitutionally protected area of freedom of expression”.

However, Stark-Watzinger explained that she was still critical of the letter. It is essential that Jewish students and teachers at German universities should feel safe, but Jewish students are now entering a second semester in which some are taking a leave of absence from their studies because they are afraid to go to university, she said.

Therefore, she opposed the call in the letter to stop police operations against the protestors’ camp and for penalties to be imposed on those who authorised the action. This was “at least worthy of criticism”, she said.

MPs from opposition parties criticised Stark-Watzinger’s answers. For the spokesperson on education policy of the center-right CDU, Thomas Jarzombek, many questions in the funding scandal remain unanswered. He criticised the minister’s “unclear or non-existent answers in committee”, according to a statement.

Disagreement over date

Nicole Gohlke, of the left-wing Die Linke party, noted that according to new documents produced by the transparency initiative FragDenStaat, the audit request was not made on 13 May as claimed, but at least three days earlier, and was made by staff in the press office. It was therefore questionable how so many people in the ministry knew about the audit request but not the minister herself, Gohlke said.

The events have caused enormous damage to the reputation of the ministry and the trust of academics. Those in the scientific community who want to express themselves politically are now afraid to do so, said Ali Al-Dailami from the left-populist party BSW. He asked what else would need to happen for Stark-Watzinger to resign.

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Germany news roundup: 19-25 June https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-germany-news-roundup-19-25-june/ Tue, 25 Jun 2024 10:20:02 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-germany-news-roundup-19-25-june/ This week: an academia-industry AI initiative, Bologna praise and worries over data costs

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This week: an academia-industry AI initiative, Bologna praise and worries over data costs

In depth: The Universities Member Group of the German Rectors’ Conference and the Young Academy have jointly unveiled plans to reform the academic career structure in Germany and introduce three new job categories.

Full story: Universities plan overhaul of academic posts  


 

Also this week from Research Professional News

Universities criticise planned funding cuts in German state—Cuts will harm Hesse’s science sector, university leaders say


 

Here is the rest of the German news this week

Warning over rising data fees

The German Data Forum has expressed concern over a planned hike in the fees charged by federal and state research data centres. Proposed changes in the fee structure are blamed on the fact that the offices have not met financial targets due to the continuously rising costs of data provision, while user fees have stayed constant since 2011, according to a statement from the forum, which provides independent advice on data policy issues. “The solution cannot be a significant increase in the costs for data users, because the fees for data use by the scientific community and, in particular, for smaller and less well-funded institutions already represent a hurdle. Instead, a research-friendly solution should be developed,” it said.

€100m AI institute opens

The Technical University of Munich and the software giant SAP have opened a €100 million research centre on artificial intelligence. A statement from the university said that 700 SAP employees and 120 university researchers will eventually work together on software solutions at the site. The cooperation between the two partners “is the most extensive of its kind in Germany and the new campus fits perfectly into the Bavarian innovation ecosystem”, said Bavarian science minister Markus Blume. The connection was originally formed in 2003, focusing on both R&D and the training of students and doctoral candidates.

DAAD lauds Bologna reforms

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has paid tribute to the Bologna reforms of European higher education. “Twenty-five years ago, some predicted the decline of the German higher education system with the start of the Bologna reform. Fortunately, things turned out differently: Germany’s universities are very popular internationally and have been able to attract a large number of talented students, especially those from previously underrepresented population groups,” said DAAD president Joybrato Mukherjee. The Bologna reforms led to a paradigm shift at universities, making curricula more consistent, the DAAD said.

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Universities criticise planned funding cuts in German state https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-universities-criticise-planned-funding-cuts-in-german-state/ Tue, 25 Jun 2024 10:15:36 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-universities-criticise-planned-funding-cuts-in-german-state/ Cuts will harm Hesse’s science sector, university leaders say

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Cuts will harm Hesse’s science sector, university leaders say

Universities in the German state of Hesse have protested against funding cuts proposed by the state government.

“Investments in education and research are investments in the future of the state—yet the state government is now planning massive cuts in the education sector of all places,” the KHU, a gathering of Hesse university leaders, said in a statement on 7 June. “This will particularly affect the science sector, with cuts of €34 million in the current year. Further cuts are planned.”

The universities would be hit by the planned cuts at a particularly challenging time. They are already under considerable pressure due to a sharp rise in salary costs and increased energy and building costs, the KHU said.

Meanwhile, public funding is being channelled into the commercial financial services company Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen, which has received €2 billion in support from the state government, and into the Hessengeld programme to promote home ownership, the group said.

“The state is in a difficult financial situation that cannot be resolved in the short term. The coming years will be shaped by this situation. This makes it all the more important to set the right priorities,” the KHU said. “Hesse benefits from its excellently positioned universities, which create knowledge for economic and social development in teaching, research and transfer.”

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Universities plan overhaul of academic posts https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-universities-plan-overhaul-of-academic-posts/ Tue, 25 Jun 2024 10:10:50 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-universities-plan-overhaul-of-academic-posts/ Proposals aim to help secure more permanent positions in German academia

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Proposals aim to help secure more permanent positions in German academia

Plans to reform the academic career structure in Germany and introduce three new job categories have been unveiled.

Universities need to have researchers with permanent contracts as well as staff in teaching roles, the groups behind the proposals—the Young Academy and the Universities Member Group of the German Rectors’ Conference—said in a joint statement. Hence, the new guidelines propose the creation of three job categories: lecturer, researcher and academic manager.

“Since its inception, the Young Academy has been committed to increasing the attractiveness and predictability of career paths in the sciences,” said a spokesperson for the academy’s Science Policy Working Group.

“An attractive and predictable career requires clear job profiles, opportunities for advancement and autonomy.”

This is what the guidelines want to achieve but progress must not be at the expense of other areas, they added. “Increasing the attractiveness of academic careers while maintaining the same student-teacher ratio and the same research quality requires a reform of…basic funding of universities.”

Cultural change

The guidelines are intended to help shape a cultural change in the German university system, according to a spokesperson for the Universities Member Group of the German Rectors’ Conference.

“We are very pleased that university management and…the most important representative body of young scientists in Germany have agreed this policy paper,” they said.

Permanent positions with independent roles and transparent career paths will make it easier for universities to attract and retain outstanding, international specialists, the spokesperson added.

“[But] it is also clear that neither our guidelines nor a reform of the German Fixed-Term Contracts Act will create a single permanent position,” they said. “Now it is up to the federal and state governments…to expand scientific career paths outside of a professorship.”

Time allocation

Lecturers should primarily be active in teaching, planning and conducting courses, as well as advising students. In addition, lecturers should have at least 20 per cent of their working hours available for the further development of their own academic profile in carrying out independent research, according to guidelines produced by the two organisations.

Researchers should primarily be active in research. They should also acquire third-party funding, manage projects, participate in joint projects, publish and give lectures at scientific conferences, the guidelines say. At the same time, they should fulfil a teaching load that does not exceed 40 per cent of their working hours.

Academic managers are mainly expected to take on tasks in science or infrastructure management or in knowledge transfer. Their function is to sit at the interface between university administration on the one hand and research and teaching on the other, the guidelines say. It is recommended that 20 per cent of their working time should be available for independent research or teaching. 

The positions proposed should not be assigned as individual professorships, but to high-level university units, according to the guidelines. All positions are designed to offer opportunities for advancement towards senior positions, they add.

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Germany news roundup: 12-18 June https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-germany-news-roundup-12-18-june/ Tue, 18 Jun 2024 10:38:15 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-germany-news-roundup-12-18-june/ This week: backing for a university president, Ukraine reconstruction plans and research data legislation

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This week: backing for a university president, Ukraine reconstruction plans and research data legislation

In depth: The KMK, an assembly of education ministers from the German states, has revealed a new internationalisation strategy for higher education institutions in Germany.

Full story: Ministers agree international strategy for German universities


 

Also this week from Research Professional News

German official sacked in row over university protest camp—Research ministry official had initiated a review of “funding-related consequences” for professors who defended protests


 

Here is the rest of the German news this week…

University president keeps job after tweet furore

A majority of members of the Technical University of Berlin’s board of trustees have decided to back president Geraldine Rauch after she faced calls to resign for ‘liking’ a tweet that was considered antisemitic. “Although the president has caused considerable damage to TU Berlin through her misconduct, she should be afforded the opportunity to successfully implement the programme she has proposed to strengthen confidence in TU Berlin and uphold its tradition as an open-minded, tolerant and anti-racist university,” the board said in a statement.

Scientists plan rebuilding of Ukraine

Germany’s Alliance of Science Organisations has drawn up an action plan for the reconstruction of Ukraine. “A robust education, research and development sector is of fundamental importance for Ukraine’s economic and security sovereignty, for its integration into the EU and for its reconstruction after the end of the war,” said Patrick Cramer, president of the Max Planck Society and spokesperson for the alliance. The plan emphasises an equal partnership in the European and transatlantic context and outlines priorities for the reconstruction of Ukrainian science and higher education.

Science funders demand swift passage of data law

The Research Data Act should be passed as quickly as possible, an association of research funders has insisted. The law will create opportunities to make public data widely available to industry and researchers, “thus unlocking great potential in the German research landscape”, the Stifterverband said on 12 June. “To realise the potential of public data and to promote voluntary data cooperation between science and business, the research data law should be passed before the end of this legislative period,” it concluded.

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German official sacked in row over university protest camp https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-german-official-sacked-in-row-over-university-protest-camp/ Tue, 18 Jun 2024 10:31:06 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-german-official-sacked-in-row-over-university-protest-camp/ Research ministry official had initiated a review of “funding-related consequences” for professors who defended protests

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Research ministry official had initiated a review of “funding-related consequences” for professors who defended protests

Sabine Döring, an official with responsibility for universities in Germany’s Ministry of Education and Research, has been forced to step down over the department’s response to a pro-Palestinian protest camp at the Free University of Berlin.

Media reports revealed that the ministry had investigated whether funding could be withdrawn from university professors who signed an open letter in May objecting to the eviction of protesters from the camp.

Education and research minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (pictured right), who has also faced criticism over the incident, said in a statement on 16 June: “I have arranged for the matter to be investigated thoroughly and transparently. What is certain is that an examination of potential funding-related consequences has indeed been requested from the relevant specialist departments.”

She added that Döring (pictured left) had “initiated the underlying review”. Döring is a state secretary in the ministry, meaning she assists Stark-Watzinger in running the department.

Stark-Watzinger acknowledged her colleague’s admission that she had expressed herself “in a misleading way” when she commissioned the “legal audit” of the letter’s signatories.

The impression was created that an examination was being considered of the funding consequences of being associated with an open letter covered by freedom of expression, the minister said. “This contradicts the principles of academic freedom.”

That impression is likely to cause lasting damage to the relationship between academics and the research ministry, Stark-Watzinger said. “Against this background and since I have come to the conclusion…that a new start is needed in terms of personnel, I have asked the federal chancellor to place state secretary Sabine Döring in temporary retirement.”

Academic freedom under threat

The German Education Union had strongly criticised the proposed audit and had demanded a response from the ministry. “If the allegations were true, the ministry’s leadership—that is, the minister herself or her state secretaries—would have considered punishing critical opinions expressed by scientists with the withdrawal of funding,” the union said in a statement before Döring’s resignation.

“If there is even the slightest suggestion that the federal research minister is making the funding of research projects dependent on researchers expressing politically compliant views, she is not only undermining the fundamental right of academic freedom enshrined in law but also the legitimacy of the research funding decisions of her ministry,” said union vice-president Andreas Keller.

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Ministers agree international strategy for German universities https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-ministers-agree-international-strategy-for-german-universities/ Tue, 18 Jun 2024 10:30:11 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-ministers-agree-international-strategy-for-german-universities/ Plan for 2024-34 aims to create more resilient and welcoming academic system

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Plan for 2024-34 aims to create more resilient and welcoming academic system

The KMK, an assembly of education ministers from the German states, has revealed a new internationalisation strategy for higher education institutions in Germany.

The aim of the strategy is to strengthen the higher education sector, making it more resilient in the face of technological and political developments and increasing global risks, the federal Ministry of Education and Research said in a statement.

Through the strategy, the federal and state governments will promote the recruitment, integration and retention of international students and researchers by improving the “welcoming culture”, the ministry said.

The strategy outlines plans to improve teaching of German for incomers, increase study success rates and provide more opportunities for international graduates to stay on in Germany. At the same time, domestic students and researchers are to be offered greater opportunities to experience life abroad.

Regulatory conditions

Another focus is on the legal and structural framework. The state governments want to improve the regulatory conditions for international students by accelerating visa and residence procedures, as well as by providing flexible access routes and optimised degree recognition practices. Other actions include diversifying university staff and providing housing to match demand.

The strategy will be in operation from 2024 to 2034 and will also address issues such as digitisation.

However, enhancing global cooperation will be the fundamental aim of the new approach. The federal and state governments are promoting ways to respond to international crises at universities and are committed to protecting academic freedom, the statement said.

They are seeking closer cooperation with democratically oriented countries and more geographically diverse partnerships, especially in the global south.

“The internationalisation of universities is a core element of excellent research and teaching. International scientific cooperation is also the key to tackling global challenges such as the climate crisis, health protection and demographic change,” said education minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger.

Valuable guidance

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) welcomed the strategy, saying that it offers valuable guidance on the further internationalisation of universities.

However, it warned that sufficient funding is necessary for successful implementation.

“With the new strategy, the federal and state governments are emphasising the importance of academic exchange and international scientific cooperation for universities. The strategy shows that successful internationalisation can bring positive social, political and economic results,” said DAAD president Joybrato Mukherjee.

From the DAAD’s perspective, the strategy addresses the changed framework conditions for the internationalisation of universities and points the way for the further development of cross-border exchange and international academic cooperation, the statement said. “The strengthening of internationalisation experiences and the expansion of diversity and sustainability are particularly pleasing,” it added.

“The broad spectrum of upcoming tasks shows that successful internationalisation in Germany is not a surefire success,” the DAAD cautioned. “The challenge in the coming months and years is not only to announce the new strategic goals politically but also to shape the framework conditions in such a way that universities can implement internationalisation profitably,” Mukherjee said.

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Germany news roundup: 5-11 June https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-germany-news-roundup-5-11-june/ Tue, 11 Jun 2024 11:11:25 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-germany-news-roundup-5-11-june/ This week: an antisemitism row, mobility funding and action against temporary contracts

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This week: an antisemitism row, mobility funding and action against temporary contracts

In depth: Germany’s Leopoldina science academy has criticised a draft regulation intended to remove obstacles to progress in research into new drugs and medical devices, saying it will deliver only selective improvements.

Full story: Leopoldina seeks comprehensive Medical Research Act


 

Also this week from Research Professional News

DAAD wants to build stronger links with Ukraine—Academic collaboration is vital part of reconstruction process, exchange service says


 

Here is the rest of the German news this week…

Berlin university president refuses to resign

Geraldine Rauch, president of the Technical University of Berlin, has announced that she will not resign after ‘liking’ a tweet that was considered antisemitic. Rauch is resisting media pressure and a narrow 13-12 vote by the university’s academic senate for her removal. In a statement about the vote, Rauch said: “The debate was constructive. I have received many calls and statements asking me to stay. I will not resign. I will work on my mistakes.”

Petition against temporary contracts gets 64,000 signatures

An alliance of academic organisations will hand over a petition to parliament opposing the routine use of temporary contracts for scientists, the German Education Union has said. The petition has received around 64,000 signatures. Almost 9 out of 10 academics at universities are employed on a temporary basis, with 42 per cent of contracts lasting less than a year, the union said. A draft law proposing some changes has been tabled by the government and will be discussed in parliament in June. But the union is critical of the draft and is demanding further changes such as binding agreements on permanent employment for scientists with doctorates, and realistic contract durations for doctoral students.

€217m to boost student and staff mobility

German universities will receive a total of €217 million over the next two years from the EU’s Erasmus+ programme to promote international mobility, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has said. Of the total, around €186m will support visits abroad for their students and employees.

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DAAD wants to build stronger links with Ukraine https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-daad-wants-to-build-stronger-links-with-ukraine/ Tue, 11 Jun 2024 11:08:47 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-daad-wants-to-build-stronger-links-with-ukraine/ Academic collaboration is vital part of reconstruction process, exchange service says

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Academic collaboration is vital part of reconstruction process, exchange service says

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has called for Germany to adopt a greater commitment to academic cooperation with Ukraine. 

Programmes to support university collaborations are essential for stabilising the Ukrainian education system and anchoring the country within Europe, DAAD said in a statement. 

“Russia has been waging a war of attrition in Ukraine…severely damaging the Ukrainian education and science system,” said DAAD president Joybrato Mukherjee.

“It is therefore necessary for the international community to develop concrete reconstruction plans at an early stage,” he said. “Ukraine’s path to a better future and to [membership of] the EU also leads through higher education and science.”

Reconstruction needed

German universities are already prepared to support the reconstruction of Ukrainian universities, Mukherjee said. These activities must be expanded and cross-border academic cooperation intensified, DAAD said.

It has proposed setting up a German-Ukrainian University Network to encourage academic cooperation. The network could train the experts needed to guide work on reconstructing the country and help develop a science-orientated relationship with the EU, it said.

“If Ukraine’s integration into the EU is to succeed, all those involved will need a great deal of patience,” said Mukherjee. “By permanently linking Ukrainian universities and research institutions with partners in the EU, we will ultimately increase security throughout Europe.”

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Leopoldina seeks comprehensive Medical Research Act https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-leopoldina-seeks-comprehensive-medical-research-act/ Tue, 11 Jun 2024 11:05:09 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-leopoldina-seeks-comprehensive-medical-research-act/ German Science Academy says current draft is inadequate for its intended purpose

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German Science Academy says current draft is inadequate for its intended purpose

Germany’s Leopoldina science academy has criticised a draft regulation intended to remove obstacles to progress in research into new drugs and medical devices, saying it will deliver only selective improvements.

The country needs “much more comprehensive measures…to prevent an impending exodus of excellent scientists and pharmaceutical companies”, it said in a statement on 3 June.

In Germany, the approval procedure for clinical trials and the authorisation procedure for licensing drugs and medical devices are subject to high bureaucratic hurdles, the academy said. While the new law may be seen as a first step towards improving the framework conditions for research and innovation, a strategy with additional comprehensive measures is needed, it insisted.

A first step would be to provide sustainable long-term funding for basic research, the academy said, adding that Germany needs an overall strategy to improve biomedical research supported at all political levels and by all relevant departments.

Faster translation

There must be efforts to accelerate the translation of results from basic research into clinical trials and beyond, according to the Leopoldina.

At the same time, feedback on the findings from clinical trials and standard care back into basic research must be improved, the academy said. Clinical research in general should be developed as an “indispensable prerequisite for an important future industry”, it said.

The academy has also recommended creating a separate animal protection law. “The current regulations of the German Animal Welfare Act and the different interpretations of EU regulations are leading to uncertainty and excessive bureaucracy in research,” the statement said. 

An expert group set up by the academy recommended that rules to protect animals in research be enshrined in a separate law and responsibility for managing those rules be transferred to the research ministry. This would enable the regulations on animal protection in agriculture to be implemented independently of those covering animals in research, the academy said.

The academy also said that it is in favour of clinical trials being registered before they start and that all the results should be published. But this could not happen “without creating additional bureaucratic work for researchers”, it warned.

The possibility of making secondary use of patient data for research purposes should be expanded, subject to appropriate privacy protection standards. “Many patients are willing to make their data available for medical research purposes,” the statement said.

Rationale unclear

The academy’s expert panel also recommend that political decision-makers reconsider plans for an ethics commission at federal level. The rationale for creating this body is not sufficiently clear, the panel said. In its present form the proposal neither reduces the number of ethics committees involved in an application nor the amount of processing time involved, it said. 

In terms of the number of clinical trials per capita, Germany has ranked low in Europe for many years, the academy said. As of 8 May 2024, the EU Clinical Trial Register shows a total of 3,355 ongoing clinical trials on medicinal products for Germany, or 44 trials per million inhabitants. This puts Germany in last place compared with the 14 other EU countries with significant research activity, it said.

A version of this article also appeared in Research Europe

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Germany news roundup: 29 May to 4 June https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-germany-news-roundup-29-may-to-4-june/ Tue, 04 Jun 2024 10:52:46 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-germany-news-roundup-29-may-to-4-june/ This week: GEW backs student aid increase, DATI funding, research funder chooses 11 collaborative centres

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This week: GEW backs student aid increase, DATI funding, research funder chooses 11 collaborative centres

In depth: Leading academic organisations in Germany have set out their views on the EU research and innovation funding programme due to start in 2028, called Framework Programme 10, emphasising the need for a continued focus on funding excellent researchers.

Full story: German academic bodies offer thoughts on FP10
 



Also this week from Research Professional News…

Head of Berlin university sorry for response to ‘antisemitic’ tweetTechnical University of Berlin president apologises for clicking like on “clearly antisemitic” post
 



Here is the rest of the German news this week…
 

Education union seeks more student funding

The German Education Union (GEW) warned that the goal of the Bologna reforms of “ensuring comprehensive mobility in the European higher education area” remains a dream for many students from Germany. In a statement, GEW said only 17 per cent of university graduates in Germany have gained study-related experience abroad, missing both the Bologna objective of 20 per cent and the German target of 33 per cent. “One reason for this is inadequate student funding in Germany,” said Andreas Keller, deputy chairman of the GEW. He urged the government to expand student aid and mobility grants.

Science ministry selects for innovation agency pilot

The science ministry has selected 20 “innovation communities” for funding under the DATIpilot funding programme, which aims to identify projects that will be supported by the proposed German Agency for Transfer and Innovation (DATI), the ministry said in a statement. Around 40 per cent of the projects are concerned with social innovations, with each project receiving up to €5 million. The communities are made up of around 80 universities, research institutions, companies and other organisations. 

DFG to create 11 more Collaborative Research Centres

The German Research Foundation (DFG), Germany’s largest public research funder, has chosen 11 new Collaborative Research Centres to carry out top-level research within universities. The consortia will receive initial funding worth around €148 million over three years and nine months from October 2024. Five of the new centres are jointly funded by several applicant universities. In addition, funding for 22 of the existing centres will be extended by a further period, said a DFG statement. The centres are funded for a maximum of 12 years and aim to create networks that will carry out innovative and demanding long-term research projects. From October 2024, the DFG will fund a total of 269 such centres, it said.

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Head of Berlin university sorry for response to ‘antisemitic’ tweet https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-head-of-berlin-university-sorry-for-response-to-antisemitic-tweet/ Tue, 04 Jun 2024 09:00:13 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-head-of-berlin-university-sorry-for-response-to-antisemitic-tweet/ Technical University of Berlin president apologises for clicking like on “clearly antisemitic” post

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Technical University of Berlin president apologises for clicking like on “clearly antisemitic” post

Geraldine Rauch, president of the Technical University of Berlin, has apologised for ‘liking’ social media posts that contained antisemitic content or were posted by people who hold antisemitic views, which led to accusations that she was expressing such views herself.

“I would like to categorically distance myself from the antisemitic content or the authors of these tweets,” Rauch said in a statement, adding that she clicked the ‘like’ response to the text of a particular post on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, without seeing an accompanying antisemitic image.

“I take the accusations made against me seriously and have since been in discussions with experts on antisemitism and members of the Jewish community,” Rauch said.

Members of the institution’s executive board said that liking the “clearly antisemitic” tweet amounts to “an unacceptable mistake”. “We distance ourselves emphatically from her actions and from all forms of antisemitism,” the board said.

‘Expression of hatred’

Uffa Jensen, antisemitism officer at the university, said that a tweet to which a photo featuring an image of the prime minister of Israel and swastikas was attached was without question a “very aggressive, antisemitic expression of hatred”, and that liking it was “unacceptable and wrong”.

Other tweets liked by Rauch on her private X account included ones in which the terms “genocide” and “war criminal” were used. However, these “are not antisemitic per se from a scientific point of view”, Jensen said. Using these terms is in principle a “legitimate expression of opinion” as allegations of genocide and war crimes are currently being heard in international court proceedings, she said.

“At the same time, as an antisemitism researcher, I understand that Jews, and especially Israelis, find the use of these terms highly problematic, hostile and hurtful,” Jensen added.

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German academic bodies offer thoughts on FP10 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-german-academic-bodies-offer-thoughts-on-fp10/ Tue, 04 Jun 2024 08:40:16 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-6-german-academic-bodies-offer-thoughts-on-fp10/ Groups call for continued focus on funding excellent individuals

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Groups call for continued focus on funding excellent individuals

Leading academic organisations in Germany have set out their views on the EU research and innovation funding programme due to start in 2028, called Framework Programme 10, emphasising the need for a continued focus on funding excellent researchers.

German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) president Walter Rosenthal said that the European Research Council, which funds researchers’ ideas for carrying out fundamental research, selected based on the quality of the ideas, has become “the benchmark for top-level research”.

He said he was unsure about a proposal to direct the ERC’s portfolio towards funding research networks, which seemed to be in response to the German research ministry saying that the ERC could in future  possibly include “collaborative research instruments”.

“The particular strengths of the ERC lie in its funding of individuals. This should not be called into question by other funding plans,” Rosenthal said. The ERC must retain its place in the EU funding architecture, where it can continue to support the creation of new knowledge in a comprehensive and open manner with an emphasis on excellence, he said. 

Around two-thirds of the ERC grants awarded to Germany over the past 10 years have gone to universities. In total, around €5 billion has been channelled to scientists at German institutions via the ERC since 2007, he added.

Innovation chain

German universities support the science ministry’s position of wanting to continue funding research and innovation in the EU along the entire innovation chain, said HRK vice-president Georg Krausch.

“The HRK also fully supports the call for further strengthening of basic research, targeted funding of key technologies and accelerated transfer,” Krausch said. It is right and necessary that the science ministry wants to see scientific excellence maintained as the fundamental criterion for evaluating research, he added.  

The HRK welcomed the earlier publication of the science ministry’s paper, which recommended expanding a portfolio approach to funding and bundling together initiatives relating to core topics.

The programme’s budget should reflect the importance of research and innovation, said the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Germany’s largest public research funder, in a separate statement. 

Tackling challenges

“Excellent and well-funded research is crucial to finding European answers to tackle major societal challenges and maintain the EU’s international competitiveness. This is why the next EU framework programme needs an ambitious budget that benefits basic research, too,” said DFG president Katja Becker.

Under the current framework programme Horizon Europe, numerous research proposals that have been classified as excellent do not receive funding due to budget shortages. “This shows what an enormous demand there is for research and innovation in the EU,” Becker said. 

The EU framework programmes are the world’s largest funding instrument for research and innovation, the DFG said. Debate is currently underway on the design of the next framework programme, which will run from 2028 to 2034. 

“We want FP10 to explicitly support cooperation between excellent researchers on topics they choose themselves across national borders,” Becker said.

The DFG is proposing two instruments for this purpose: one is to enable researchers to work on topics of their own choice in a bottom-up manner in transnational research consortia, and a second seeks to achieve greater flexibility in joint calls for proposals through EU partnerships.  

The DFG’s position paper advocates a new framework programme that continues to focus primarily on excellence and openness, it said. Additional proposals include a dedicated budget reserve for new priorities, a special intervention fund to support researchers at risk, and more targeted integration of adequate framework conditions for research.

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Germany says it cannot fund planned Cern particle accelerator https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-infrastructure-2024-5-germany-says-it-can-t-fund-planned-cern-particle-accelerator/ Tue, 28 May 2024 11:55:51 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-infrastructure-2024-5-germany-says-it-can-t-fund-planned-cern-particle-accelerator/ Europe’s nuclear research organisation urged to reconsider next accelerator by key contributor

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Europe’s nuclear research organisation urged to reconsider next accelerator by key contributor

The German research ministry has said that it cannot afford to fund Cern’s potential next particle accelerator, and blasted the financing plan for the Future Circular Collider as being “extremely vague”.

Cern, Europe’s nuclear research organisation, said earlier this year that plans to potentially replace the Large Hadron Collider with the FCC as the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator had passed a midterm review.

But in a presentation for a community event on the FCC held this month, the German ministry said that “the FCC has to be considered as not affordable”.

“Under the current economic conditions, Germany is not in a position to provide the planned funding,” the presentation said, quoting a statement it said the ministry made to the Cern Council in February.

Germany currently contributes €267 million a year to Cern, according to the presentation. It said that the future of Cern is the ministry’s “highest priority”.

Many uncertainties

But in relation to the FCC, it added: “The cost estimates in the feasibility study are subject to a large number of uncertainties, the effects of which are still largely unknown.

“The financing plan is extremely vague and requires a high level of commitment from external partners, which is neither assured nor even in prospect at the present time.

“Hence, Cern has to diversify its efforts and prepare for different scenarios, including one without the FCC.”

Germany would need to contribute €4-5 billion for the FCC under current planning, the presentation said.

Cern response

A spokesperson for Cern declined to comment on the ministry’s statements, but said that the organisation was “taking into consideration all comments and feedback” on the FCC.

They added: “The ongoing FCC Feasibility Study that is investigating the technical and financial viability of the FCC at Cern includes geological feasibility, environmental impact, design of infrastructures, civil engineering and detectors, and cost.

“Part of this feasibility study process is also to work on possible funding model scenarios, which will be presented to Cern member states for discussion.

“In February the Cern Council reviewed the work undertaken so far positively, considering that the feasibility study is showing good progress. The final report is expected in 2025.”

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German research ministry seeks better understanding of China https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-5-german-research-ministry-seeks-better-understanding-of-china/ Tue, 28 May 2024 11:50:30 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/?p=528828 Collaboration with economic rival is important but it carries risks, says ministry

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Collaboration with economic rival is important but it carries risks, says ministry

Germany’s science ministry has announced a funding programme aimed at expanding the country’s knowledge of China.

The Modern China Research II programme will fund studies into political, scientific and social developments in China that may be of relevance to Germany and Europe, it said.

Up to €5 million in funding is available over four years for research projects examining Chinese social, domestic and foreign policy strategies, the minister said.

Cooperation with China offers both opportunities and risks for Germany, the ministry believes. Collaborative projects can certainly make a substantial contribution to tackling major global challenges. But their success will depend on an understanding of the difficulties inherent in working closely with a country that has become a powerful political and economic competitor.

‘Safeguarding German interests’

“Independent expertise in this area is essential for safeguarding German interests in the face of increasing systemic rivalry with China,” said science minster Bettina Stark-Watzinger.

The results of the funded projects should contribute to helping German scientific institutions to make informed decisions. “Critically weighing up the risks and benefits is necessary when cooperating with China, especially in science and universities”, she said.

When the results of these projects are available, the ministry said it will communicate the findings as widely as possible to stakeholders in politics, public administration, science, business and the general public.

The funding programme will form part of the government’s China and Internationalisation of Science and Research strategy, the programme description said.

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Germany news roundup: 22-28 May https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-5-germany-news-round-up-22-28-may/ Tue, 28 May 2024 11:45:16 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-5-germany-news-round-up-22-28-may/ This week: proposal to strengthen public health research and fear of attacks on academic freedom

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This week: proposal to strengthen public health research and fear of attacks on academic freedom

 In depth: North Rhine-Westphalia is offering to extend funding for existing projects that expand their remit to consider gender issues, the state’s science ministry said in a statement.

Full story: NRW moves to answer gender questions in research



Also this week from Research Professional News…
 

German research ministry seeks better understanding of China—Collaboration with economic rival is important but it carries risks, says ministry
 


 

Here is the rest of the German news this week… 

Science council seeks better disease prevention

The German Science and Humanities Council (WR), a governmental science policy advisory body, has called for action on improving the country’s preventive healthcare. “We need more prevention supported by digitalisation and innovative research that is effective in people’s everyday lives,” said WR chairman Wolfgang Wick. Various scientific disciplines would participate in the initiative, including medicine, psychology, sociology, health sciences, agricultural and nutritional research, environmental research and artificial intelligence, he said.

Professors celebrate scientific freedoms

The German Association of University Professors and Lecturers (DHV) has commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Grundgesetz, Germany’s constitution, and the support it provides to independent research. “The comprehensive protection of fundamental rights granted to academic freedom…enables academics to teach and conduct research in a self-determined manner,” said DHV president Lambert Koch. But there is also increasing hostility towards academics in Germany, he warned. Research activities and results that conflict with the world view of some people are being challenged. “Populist forces are undermining social discourse with fake news and alternative facts,” he said.

Rectors call for respect over Gaza protests

The German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) demanded that university management should be treated with respect over its handling of protests on campuses in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Its president Walter Rosenthal demanded that the difficulties facing colleagues should be recognised and respect shown for their efforts to de-escalate tensions. “Reflexive attacks, unsolicited advice, inadmissible simplifications and one-sided exaggerations presented directly or in the media are not helpful,” he said.

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NRW moves to answer gender questions in research https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-5-nrw-seeks-to-answer-gender-questions-in-research/ Tue, 28 May 2024 10:23:17 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-5-nrw-seeks-to-answer-gender-questions-in-research/ German state offers funding to widen scope of existing efforts

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German state offers funding to widen scope of existing efforts

North Rhine-Westphalia is offering to extend funding for existing projects that expand their remit to consider gender issues, the state’s science ministry said in a statement.

The funding for each project is worth up to €150,000 per year for three years, depending on the extent of the reorientation required. It will be available for research projects in any discipline and the total amount available is €2.25 million.

The state will fund the costs of this reorientation on condition that a university agrees to continue its focus on this area of research for at least another three years after the funding ends, the ministry said.

“Gender research has a direct benefit for people, for example, in gender-sensitive medicine, in the natural and technical sciences or in law,” said North Rhine-Westphalia science minister Ina Brandes. “This is why we will continue to support professors who focus their work on gender research in the coming years.”

In many areas, scientists can achieve more precise findings if they take into account the differences between the sexes in their research questions, the ministry said. The development of algorithms for use in speech recognition projects, for example, can benefit from the use of gender-specific data, it added.

Gender studies pioneers

According to a report by the German Science and Humanities Council (WR), researchers from North Rhine-Westphalia are already among the pioneers in gender studies in Germany. The state has the largest number of professorships focusing on these issues and has created a sustainable structure to support this work with the creation of the Women’s and Gender Research Network NRW and its associated professorships, the ministry said.

In 2023, WR established a project to evaluate gender research in Germany. “Gender research is a dynamic and internationally promising field of research with great transfer relevance,” said WR chair Wolfgang Wick. “However, in international terms, there is a need for Germany to catch up, especially in the technical disciplines and in medicine.”

Better integration

The council favoured the stronger integration of gender perspectives in research and teaching, especially in those areas in which there has been little effort to date. It also recommended establishing and expanding professorships in gender studies, particularly in subjects in which it is currently underrepresented, as well as providing adequate funding for university gender studies centres.

WR also encouraged the development of several interdisciplinary centres with a dedicated research focus in order to pool resources and increase the international visibility of the field. This discipline should be integrated more strongly into existing projects to encourage networking and the exchange of ideas between different research groups, WR said.

Suitable topics for gender-based research range from social science studies on the gender pay gap, to medical research on gender differences in heart disease and gender aspects in drug research. Other areas may include literary and media studies analyses of gender roles, legal studies on femicide and transgender rights, research on gender aspects in human-computer interaction to ethnological, historical and archaeological studies of gender systems in different cultures and times, WR noted.

A version of this article also appeared in Research Europe

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Germany news roundup: 15-21 May https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-5-germany-news-roundup-15-21-may/ Tue, 21 May 2024 08:50:09 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-5-germany-news-roundup-15-21-may/ This week: university leadership diversity, accessing data for research and science under public attack

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This week: university leadership diversity, accessing data for research and science under public attack

In depth: Academic organisations have criticised the media’s portrayal of an open letter from lecturers supporting pro-Palestinian student protests in Berlin.

Full story: Lecturers’ support for pro-Palestinian protests sparks row
 



Also this week from Research Professional News….

German rectors adopt new measures against abuse of power—Further changes expected to follow adoption of measures to improve wellbeing at universities
 



Here is the rest of the German news this week…
 

University leadership more diverse, in one respect

The proportion of German universities that are led by women continues to increase, according to the Centre for Higher Education Development. Currently, 42 per cent of universities in Germany have a female rector or president, a study for the centre found. But it also found that only eight university leaders in Germany were born in another country. “There is still room for improvement in the diversity of CVs,” said the survey author, Isabel Roessler.

Leopoldina weighs in on Research Data Act

Cross-sector and cross-departmental cooperation will be crucial to the development of a law intended to open up access to data for research in Germany while respecting data privacy needs, according to the German National Academy of Sciences, the Leopoldina. It published a policy paper that said the planned Research Data Act should enable researchers to link data from different sources, areas and federal levels; it also argued for setting up a German Micro Data Centre as a central means to provide access in a safe way.

Hostility towards scientists increasing, according to survey

Science is increasingly contested in Germany, a survey of 2,600 academics has found. The survey on how hostility and hate speech are affecting scientists was published by the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW). The results show that hostility towards researchers is a serious and increasing problem affecting all positions within the academic community, said survey leader Clemens Blümel. “Research findings and scientific expertise are increasingly being negotiated and communicated in public debate, which is creating more and more tension,” the centre said.

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German rectors adopt new measures against abuse of power https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-5-german-rectors-adopt-new-measures-against-abuse-of-power/ Tue, 21 May 2024 08:40:52 +0000 https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-germany-2024-5-german-rectors-adopt-new-measures-against-abuse-of-power/ Further changes expected to follow adoption of measures to improve wellbeing at universities

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Further changes expected to follow adoption of measures to improve wellbeing at universities

The German Rectors’ Conference has adopted recommendations on measures to sanction and prevent abuse of power at universities.

The HRK had commissioned its Standing Commission on Organization to develop proposals after its General Assembly in November 2023 reaffirmed the “special responsibility of the rectorates” to take decisive action against abuse of power at universities.

“Cases of abuse of power at universities in recent years, particularly against students and qualifying academics, make it clear that a continuous review and, if necessary, expansion of existing protective measures is necessary,” the HRK said in a statement.

It added that the rectors have identified hierarchies and dependencies, particularly in connection with academic and artistic qualifications and collaboration in third-party funded projects, as risk factors for abuse of power.

“Universities have already done a lot to improve the prevention, investigation and penalisation of abuse of power. But we can and want to do even better,” said HRK president Walter Rosenthal.

Abuse of power

HRK vice president Susanne Menzel-Riedl said that universities “are also subject to forms of abuse of power that can occur in all social contexts—from unacceptable demands for extra work and unequal treatment in teams to discrimination, humiliation and sexualised violence”.

“In addition to the clear positioning of university management,” she said, “the countermeasures we recommend include awareness-raising and involvement, training, systematic further education and empowerment of university staff.

“These recommendations are a very important interim step. They must now be implemented,” Menzel-Riedl said, hinting that more changes are to come.

“Further changes will be necessary,” she added. “HRK will also be looking at how dependencies can be reduced in the academic qualification system in future. We will also address the structural integration and promotion of independence for employees.”

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