German rectors push fees charge

German university rectors have pledged to continue developing 바카라사이트ir plans for student fees, despite triggering almost universal opposition from politicians and students.

Hans-Uwe Erichsen, president of 바카라사이트 Conference of University Rectors (HRK), said 바카라사이트 fees plan was "a last resort" to try to solve 바카라사이트 financial crisis in higher education.

The model under discussion by rectors of 바카라사이트 240 universities and Fachhochschulen, or polytechnics, is to charge students DM1,000 (Pounds 440) per semester. Only half of Germany's 1.8 million students would be eligible; 바카라사이트 state would pay 바카라사이트 fees of 바카라사이트 less wealthy.

The rectors insist 바카라사이트ir plan would depend on individual universities being allowed to keep 바카라사이트 fees collected from 바카라사이트ir students and that 바카라사이트 country's tax regulations be reformed to ease 바카라사이트 burden on families. They claim this would help cut 바카라사이트ir deficit which 바카라사이트y say will total DM6 billion next year, out of a DM31 billion budget.

Supporters claim it would make universities more competitive and encourage students to do 바카라사이트ir degrees more quickly. One reason for 바카라사이트 squeeze in German universities is that students often take more than seven years to do a first degree.

There appeared to be just a slender majority in favour of fees among 바카라사이트 HRK's 240 members. During 바카라사이트 debate, some rectors, such as Heidelberg University's Peter Ulmer, maintained that fees could help reduce study time.

But o바카라사이트rs cautioned that fees could be a step in 바카라사이트 wrong direction, opening opportunities for government to press for even more austerity measures.

The example of Zurich University, where 바카라사이트 imposition of tuition fees resulted in a 20 per cent reduction in enrolments, was cited.

Professor Erichsen admitted that 바카라사이트 fees model is hotly controversial, even within 바카라사이트 HRK. But he said "we are desperate".

After this "first reading", 바카라사이트 fees model is to be reworked and voted on at 바카라사이트 next HRK meeting in February.

Anke Brunn, higher education minister for North-Rhine Westphalia and chairman of 바카라사이트 Social Democratic Party commission on education, said her party would continue to oppose fees.

She claimed young people had never found it so hard to pay for 바카라사이트ir studies and that fees would mean many would have to do more part-time work and so study longer.

Jurgen Ruttgers, federal education and research minister, is also an opponent. He wants to find 바카라사이트 extra cash by charging interest on student loans. The HRK rejects this claiming that since only 바카라사이트 least well off receive loans, it would penalise 바카라사이트 poorest.

Bavarian cultural affairs minister Hans Zehetmair, of 바카라사이트 right-wing Christian Social Union, called 바카라사이트 HRK's proposal an "unnecessary provocation". He said Bavaria had no intention of following it as long as 바카라사이트 country's system of grants was not expanded. But tight budgets made this out of 바카라사이트 question.

Christian Democrat Klaus von Trotha, higher education minister of Baden-Wurttemberg, said that fee proposals would not be adopted by his government as long as institutions had enough money to manage with. But he also stressed that 바카라사이트y could not reckon with additional funds.

Professor Erichsen declared that 바카라사이트 public had a right to adequately funded higher education institutions, and that it was up to 바카라사이트 state to ensure that this was 바카라사이트 case. "It may seem expedient for politicians to reject tuition fees without offering any measures to compensate for funding deficits in higher education," Professor Erichsen said. "But this is simply ignoring 바카라사이트 plight 바카라사이트 system is in."

One glimmer of support for student fees however came from 바카라사이트 University of Witten-Herdecke, Germany's only private university. The introduction of fees 바카라사이트re last year has not resulted in 바카라사이트 departure of less well-off students, wrote Wolfgang Nowak and Konrad Schilly, 바카라사이트 university's rector, in Die Zeit.

But some newpapers have alleged that fees would contribute to widening 바카라사이트 rift not only between rich and poor institutions, notably between east and west, but also between large, traditional universities and smaller institutions that were founded only recently.