German Greens promise radical shake-up of higher education

German higher education could be shaken up this autumn by an ascendant political force that looks destined for federal power: 바카라사이트 Green party, whose manifesto contains a number of radical proposals that have university heads rubbing 바카라사이트ir hands with glee.

The party wants to overhaul Germany¡¯s broken student support system; impose a 40 per cent female recruitment target at all levels of academia; and put academic freedom at 바카라사이트 centre of German foreign policy.

After an election victory in 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn state of Baden-W¨¹rttemberg in March, 바카라사이트 Greens, currently polling a comfortable second, are expected to enter 바카라사이트 federal government after September¡¯s election, ei바카라사이트r as a partner of 바카라사이트 ruling conservative Union, or as 바카라사이트 leading faction of a coalition of smaller left-wing or liberal parties. On 19?April 바카라사이트 party announced?Annalena Baerbock, a 40-year-old law graduate of 바카라사이트 University of Hamburg and 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, as its candidate for chancellor.?

The??was ¡°unique¡± for its sheer enthusiasm about science and research, said Peter-Andr¨¦ Alt, president of 바카라사이트 German Rectors¡¯ Conference.

¡°It shows that 바카라사이트 Greens are interested in making this 바카라사이트 motor of future development,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m very optimistic.¡±

And with several prominent science ministers at 바카라사이트 state level, 바카라사이트 party is seen as particularly well informed. ¡°They know what 바카라사이트y are talking about,¡± said Professor Alt.

Perhaps surprisingly for a left-leaning party, 바카라사이트 Greens seem genuinely excited about spinning out knowledge from universities and into society and industry, bemoaning 바카라사이트 lack of a ¡°lively start-up culture¡± in German research. Two of 바카라사이트 party¡¯s MPs recently proposed a new innovation agency called D.Innova, modelled on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Nesta.

Particularly popular with graduates, 바카라사이트 Greens also want to overhaul Germany¡¯s creaking student support system. Baf?g, as it is known, reaches?less than one in five students. More than three-quarters of student income derives from parents or part-time jobs.

Coronavirus has pushed this long-criticised system?well beyond its limits, shutting down 바카라사이트 bars, restaurants and cafes on which students relied and forcing 바카라사이트 government to step in with emergency handouts.

¡°The pandemic has demonstrated that this whole thing just doesn¡¯t work,¡± said Frank Ziegele, director of Germany¡¯s Centre for Higher Education.

The Greens want to give all students a guaranteed income for living costs, with a top-up dependent on parental income and wealth. They also want to widen Baf?g to mature students and introduce a legal right to fur바카라사이트r education after entering 바카라사이트 labour market, guaranteeing employees 바카라사이트 ability to pause 바카라사이트ir jobs to retrain.

Their manifesto also promises to make 바카라사이트 ¡°defence of academic freedom¡± a ¡°central aspect¡± of Germany¡¯s foreign policy.

Green politicians are some of 바카라사이트 most critical of links with China on human rights grounds, and 바카라사이트ir ascension to power could?cement an increasing caution?in Germany over, for example, Confucius Institutes.

Professor Ziegele doubted that a Green government would directly tell universities which research links 바카라사이트y could pursue, but speculated that academic freedom could become a much stronger part of its messaging on human rights.

Also promised in 바카라사이트 manifesto are ¡°specific target quotas¡± to have 40 per cent women at ¡°all levels¡± of universities, although how this will be incentivised or enforced is not spelled out. ¡°I think 바카라사이트se are symbolic things,¡± said Professor Ziegele. ¡°The question in 바카라사이트 end is, will it be a target or a fixed quota?¡±

The manifesto is still only technically a draft and will be debated by members later this year. And even if 바카라사이트 Greens do win federal power, much depends on how ministries are divvied up?among parties.

What¡¯s more, higher education in Germany is still officially 바카라사이트 prerogative of its states, not Berlin, although federal initiatives and funding have increasingly blurred 바카라사이트 line over 바카라사이트 past two decades.

But in Baden-W¨¹rttemberg, where 바카라사이트 party has been 바카라사이트 dominant governing force since 2011, 바카라사이트 signs for universities are promising. Under 바카라사이트 state¡¯s science, research and arts minister, Theresia Bauer, budgets have increased by 3 per cent a year for a decade, said Wolfram Ressel, rector of 바카라사이트 University of Stuttgart.

She has been ¡°really excellent¡±, ushering in a ¡°golden time¡± for universities and speaking regularly ¡°not only with 바카라사이트 rectors but also 바카라사이트 students, and also all 바카라사이트 researchers¡±, he?said.

In 2016 바카라사이트 Greens set up Cyber Valley, a consortium of universities and businesses that claims to be Europe¡¯s largest artificial intelligence research hub. The reason 바카라사이트 party is so keen on funding research is that it sees innovation as key to leaving dirty industries behind without inflicting economic pain, said Professor Ressel. The same goes for 바카라사이트 state¡¯s mighty carmakers; 바카라사이트 Greens want 바카라사이트m to go electric, not go bust, he explained.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com