Science Representatives in Bavaria Protest Against University Law Reform

Science representatives in several cities across Bavaria have protested against the planned university reform in their federal state, claiming that the latter would be giving universities more autonomy and would enhance entrepreneurship at the same time, but the changes would also affect particular departments.

According to them, the changes can strengthen the application-oriented research, which could result in economic gain but would create disadvantages for humanities and social sciences compared to other departments, Süddeutsche Zeitung has reported.

Initiative Humanities and Social Sciences (GuS), a newly established initiative, has called for rallies in Augsburg, Munich and Nuremberg, what according to the report, led to gathering 300 participants, Erudera reports.

A student representative within the program “Campus & Karriere”, stated that the reform is a signal that universities should prepare for the labour market on their own, by including training as well.

The state chairman of the German University Association and professor for university law in Erlangen, Max-Emmanuel Geis, said that the reform could have been intentionally presented during a time when universities are struggling with the pandemic and busy with the implementation of high-tech agenda, aiming to avoid protests in this way.

Whereas, the spokeswoman for the Bavarian universities and Augsburg’s university president, Sabine Doering-Manteuffel, said that the government has to explain many open questions as soon as possible.

Yet, according to the State Minister for Science and Culture, Bernd Sibler, nothing has been concluded or is permanent so far.

By now, more than 4,000 people have signed an online petition created by the GuS initiative, while there is also a resolution by 32 professors as well as an open letter supposed to have been signed by 200 professors within 24 hours.

Earlier, it has been reported that the Bavarian Ministry of Science has been working on a new university law, the purpose of which is to strengthen the talent promotion and entrepreneurship at universities. However, it is still confusing when the draft law will be brought to the table.