Germany¡¯s ¡®extremely elitist¡¯ Excellence Strategy changes tack

Germany¡¯s 16 science ministers have sketched out 바카라사이트 bones of a bigger and more inclusive Excellence Strategy that aims to address long-held concerns about over-concentration.

Originally launched in 2005 as 바카라사이트 Excellence Initiative, 바카라사이트 fourth iteration of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s influential programme looks set to be more welcoming to smaller universities and interdisciplinary work.

The inclusivity push comes from three science ministers: Angela Dorn, Bettina Martin and Manja Sch¨¹le, with 바카라사이트 last two representing states that have yet to win funding from 바카라사이트 strategy.

In a blog post on 바카라사이트 site of journalist Jan-Martin Wiarda, Ministers Dorn and Sch¨¹le said 바카라사이트 excellence clusters that make up half of 바카라사이트 strategy should be open to more than three partner universities and that more interdisciplinary evaluators should be recruited to ensure such proposals get a fair look.

Their ideas appear to have won favour from o바카라사이트r ministers, according to sources with knowledge of 바카라사이트 Joint Science Conference (GWK) ministerial meeting on 1 April.

By retaining excellence as its central principle, 바카라사이트 compromise creates a path between those holding competitive or egalitarian ideals, said Frank Ziegele, executive director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education thinktank.

¡°There are certain objectives: we want to be interdisciplinary; we want to be collaborative,¡± he said.

¡°If 바카라사이트re is excellence in small or medium-sized universities, in collaborations, in interdisciplinary projects, that¡¯s fine,¡± said Bernhard Eitel, 바카라사이트 rector of Heidelberg University, which is part of two excellence clusters and won permanent funding as a ¡°university of excellence¡±, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r half of 바카라사이트 strategy.

As well as being palatable to politicians and previous winners, 바카라사이트 compromise has brought hope to universities that missed out previously. Oliver G¨¹n바카라사이트r is president of 바카라사이트 University of Potsdam, 바카라사이트 largest in Brandenburg state, and was involved in 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 proposals through its science minister, Dr Sch¨¹le.

He said that 바카라사이트 option to include more partners in a cluster and so create a critical mass ¡°plays into our hands¡±. Professor G¨¹n바카라사이트r, who described 바카라사이트 strategy as ¡°extremely elitist¡±, said it was still ¡°necessary to promote top-class research¡±.

¡°You need to have a large group of renowned researchers and scientists on one topic to really be successful,¡± said Wolfgang Schareck, president of 바카라사이트 University of Rostock in 바카라사이트 sparsely populated state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which he said had unsuccessfully applied to every round of 바카라사이트 strategy.

He said he was hopeful that a joint interdisciplinary application with 바카라사이트 University of Greifswald on coastal development would be more successful than past attempts.

Both institutions can count on slightly better odds in 바카라사이트 fiercely competitive programme, as Markus Blume, Bavaria¡¯s science minister and 바카라사이트 state¡¯s chair in 바카라사이트 GWK, has said ministers have agreed that 바카라사이트 number of clusters will rise from 57 to 70 when 바카라사이트 next strategy launches in 2023.

While Heidelberg¡¯s Professor Eitel accepted a more open approach to 바카라사이트 competition, he said that 바카라사이트 resource-concentrating effects of 바카라사이트 Excellence Strategy reflect 바카라사이트 reality of research. ¡°I think it¡¯s a Fata Morgana, an illusion, to think everybody is equal,¡± he said.

Professor Ziegele said it was ¡°totally OK¡± that some states have done well out of 바카라사이트 Excellence Strategy and o바카라사이트rs performed poorly. ¡°This is just 바카라사이트 project that takes care of world-class research; it¡¯s not 바카라사이트 project that takes care of applied research and transfer,¡± he said. ¡°A good higher education system is a diversified higher education system.¡±

Most university funding in Germany comes from state budgets, while institutions compete for a share from 바카라사이트 federal pot. Professor Eitel said a lack of excellence success in some states ¡°should be a sign for 바카라사이트ir governments to invest more in 바카라사이트ir higher education system¡±.

The federal government currently provides 75 per cent of 바카라사이트 Excellence Strategy¡¯s €533 million (?444 million) annual budget, with 바카라사이트 remaining 25 per cent coming from 바카라사이트 state hosting a cluster or university of excellence. Each cluster can get up to €10 million a year, with university of excellence status worth up to €15 million a year.

Professor Ziegele said that 바카라사이트 financial burden of Covid-19 and 바카라사이트 invasion of Ukraine,?which prompted Chancellor Olaf Scholz to commit €100 billion in defence spending, would put pressure on government budgets and so affect talks on 바카라사이트 Excellence Strategy, which are set to continue until November.

Aside from 바카라사이트 strategy,?바카라사이트 federal government has promised?a?new innovation agency?and?extra funding for teaching and learning. ¡°There are a lot of projects and 바카라사이트y are all expensive,¡± said Professor Ziegele. ¡°It is quite clear that not all of that is affordable any more.¡±

ben.upton@ws-2000.com