I want to incite any jealousy debate. But a question must be allowed: If the universities are the “heart of the science system”, how can it be that we ask you for so many years is so much worse than non-University research organisations as the Max Planck society or the Helmholtz Association, a community?
Max Planck & co. since 2006, the guaranteed three (even five) percent more money each year. Agreed the Federation and the Länder in the “Pact for research and Innovation”. For the universities there is also a long-standing Federal-state program, but so essential to the so-called University Pact may be, the Plight of The many universities he could not eliminate it. Because of his previous logic was that the students boom due to more study places to intercept. With much too little money for each additional study, beginners mind.
Max Planck & co. has helped the Plus international
One could long discuss about the reasons of how this is wrong caused the situation and why this is mostly the fault of the countries and not the Federal government. You could, again, emphasize why the annual Plus for the Max Planck & co. was still a great idea, as it is of Germany, research international forward has catapulted and why the Pact for research and Innovation, therefore, if also with changed conditions – must go on.
Or you may ask the same, what can be better in the future. The opportunity is favorable, because both of the Pact for research and Innovation, as well as the higher education Pact should be negotiated in 2019.
The universities require that you receive in the future, such as the non-University regular Plus. Federal Minister of research, Anja Karliczek (CDU) rejects the. Their justification: The high school funding was not a “primary task” of the Federal government. Also, one could argue a long time now – or make a suggestion, Karliczek allows you to jump over the shadow. Because it would cost your Ministry no.
The DFG distributes money to the universities for projects
From the Pact for research and Innovation, the German research Foundation (DFG), the research itself benefits in addition to the four large research organisations, yet, but the research at the higher education institutions. Meritorious and indispensable, but also problematic: Because the billions come mostly as project funds. And because of the DFG budget has not, for many years, growing each year, the basic funding of many universities, but has increased the share of project funds to the universities in problematic heights.
The proposal: the Federation and the Länder take out the DFG for the next five years from the Pact for research and Innovation. Its best if you pay a compensation for inflation. And pay with the Rest of the annual higher education Pact Plus.
the size would fit pretty good. Recently the Federal government back flipped over EUR 60 million for the annual increase in the budget of the DFG. For the higher education Pact Karliczek want to spend in the future to almost 1.9 billion Euro per year. Three percent more at the higher education Pact would be Federal, so at the beginning, a little under 60 million cost. And he could have demanded as compensation from the countries that place again, just under 60 million.
More basic funding for the universities, fewer project funds
The consequence for the universities: More core funding, less project funds. And more overall Budget for the universities.
The DFG could handle it, perhaps it wouldn’t do her given the recent Governance debates, even very good, to grow so dynamically. A catch would, however, still. In the high school pecking order, the research is still in the lead, and of the changes in the cash flow, especially the doctrine would benefit. At the expense of the research, as some would claim, although this is true, because the currently so lush, the research funds would be by no means reduced. They would just grow slower. And from a better financing of teaching would be relieved, in turn, to all those professors who complain are always louder, they would have less time for research.
Whether the science Minister from the Federation and the Länder, is to be trusted? DFG President Peter Strohschneider, incidentally, is one of the universities as the “heart”. The complains about their under-funding and wordy. This should facilitate the transition.
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The author is a Journalist of education and lives in Berlin. On his Blog www.jmwiarda.de he commented on current events in schools and colleges.
