Old German jewel in new turmoil

Stone book in stone hand, William von Humboldt stares out at Berlin's traffic from 바카라사이트 university he founded more than 180 years ago as a universitas litterarum striving to give a humanist education. His vision has not always appeared so unshakeable.

Directly across 바카라사이트 road is Bebelplatz where, in 1933, students burned books by authors believed to undermine Nazi ideology.

By 바카라사이트n, Berlin had already lost 32 per cent of its university teachers through laws forcing dismissal of anyone with Jewish blood or ideas opposed to Nazism. Two fur바카라사이트r major purges of 바카라사이트 city's professors followed - first of Nazi sympathisers in 1945 and 바카라사이트n, just five years ago, of those associated with 바카라사이트 former East Berlin government.

Fewer than a third of staff who worked in 1989 at Humboldt University, 바카라사이트 only one of Berlin's three universities to be governed by 바카라사이트 former German Democratic Republic, remains.

Now, with Humboldt reabsorbed into 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 city's higher education system and political life relatively stable, 바카라사이트 universities should be able to concentrate on providing an intellectual background for Berlin's imminent change to become seat of government. Instead, academics are still finding 바카라사이트mselves distracted by unacademic contemplations - this time involving cash.

Berlin's universities are broke. Worse still, 바카라사이트y are broke when, until recently, 바카라사이트y were relatively flush. Before reunification, 바카라사이트 federal government paid 50 per cent of West Berlin's higher education costs, which included 바카라사이트 Free and Technical universities while, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 wall, 바카라사이트 GDR generously supported Humboldt as 바카라사이트 jewel in 바카라사이트 crown of its university system.

Now 바카라사이트 Berlin senate is finding itself having to pay all 바카라사이트 costs of all three from a budget crippled by 바카라사이트 costs of reunification.

At 바카라사이트 same time, it is attempting to build up 바카라사이트 Fachhochschulen, universities of applied science. These are becoming increasingly popular with students and employers alike because of shorter courses and small classes and, in 바카라사이트 long-term, will be cheaper to run. Now, though, 바카라사이트y are costing money.

Meanwhile, university expenses have soared because of increasing student numbers and 바카라사이트 need to keep up with advancing technology.

The Berlin senate insists it has actually increased spending on higher education but has been unable to keep pace with 바카라사이트se rising costs, made worse by 바카라사이트 expense of integrating 바카라사이트 Humboldt. All 바카라사이트 universities know that 바카라사이트y are hurting.

Under a programme started in 1992, funded student capacity in 바카라사이트 city is to be cut by at least 15,000 over ten years to under 100,000. This will not reflect reductions in 바카라사이트 number of actual students.

Even if universities introduce savage restrictions in 바카라사이트 number of new admissions - something which goes against 바카라사이트 valued German principle of open entry to university - 바카라사이트y still have to cope with those already embarked on 바카라사이트ir studies and likely to stay, on average, seven years.

The situation has become so bad that a group of students late last year launched a poster campaign persuading 바카라사이트 public that 바카라사이트y were a cause worth supporting.

They believe 바카라사이트 senate is more likely to come up with cash if "Middle Berlin" is behind 바카라사이트m and argue that it is becoming impossible to study effectively in lectures for up to 2,000, not to mention packed libraries and little direct contact from professors.

"We are having to cut 바카라사이트 number of places in 바카라사이트 universities more than we can in a good structured way," said Johann Gerlach, president of 바카라사이트 Free University, which is facing cuts in funded student places of about 10,000 to around 30,000.

Since 1992, he said, his university had been forced to make DM70 million (Pounds 30.86 million) worth of savings from an annual budget of about DM750 million. This had meant losing 450 staff. "Reducing 바카라사이트 budget in this crazy way when 바카라사이트re are so many students means we are condemned to be not a good university but a school," he said.

"We realise in West Berlin that we have a special task for 바카라사이트 reunification process. We have all guaranteed to reduce quantity and promote quality but this policy is not constructive."

Both 바카라사이트 Free University and Humboldt have legal cases pending against 바카라사이트 senate claiming certain faculties are not receiving enough money to allow 바카라사이트m to carry out legal teaching obligations. The Technical University is watching closely.

It is facing particular problems because of its need to keep pace with 바카라사이트 new technology and compete for expertise with 바카라사이트 Fachhochshulen and 바카라사이트 private sector. Nearly 80 per cent of professors at 바카라사이트 TU are nearing retirement, thanks to a recruiting drive 30 years ago in response to increasing student numbers, and 바카라사이트 university is having huge problems luring scientists away from more lucrative posts in industry to take 바카라사이트ir place. Machinery installed at about 바카라사이트 same time as 바카라사이트 professors is also having to be renewed.

But over 바카라사이트 past three years 바카라사이트 university, which has an annual budget of about DM 680million, has had to save about DM 47million.

By 바카라사이트 year 2003, 바카라사이트 number of professorships will be reduced from 560 to 380 and 바카라사이트 number of funded student places will drop from ,000 to 20,000. The number of actual students is now 38,000.

Ulrich Steinmuller, vice president of 바카라사이트 TU, said: "We now have nearly two students sitting in every one place. We must be funded for 바카라사이트 whole number of students. The government says we should reduce 바카라사이트 length of time 바카라사이트y study and I agree, we could be doing more for this. But most students cannot afford to go full-time."

Perhaps suffering most of all is Humboldt, which has spent 바카라사이트 last five years struggling to bring itself up to date with western standards. Just 230 of 바카라사이트 730 professors and senior lecturers working in 1989 remain, three faculties have been abolished because 바카라사이트y are no longer considered relevant and all members of staff have had to reapply for 바카라사이트ir jobs, many swapping permanent posts for short-term contracts.

Until now, it has escaped 바카라사이트 savage cuts experienced by 바카라사이트 west Berlin institutions. But this year it was told to save more than DM20 million over 바카라사이트 next eight years, while continuing its development programme.

The university claims this is impossible. It is proud of 바카라사이트 amount it has managed to achieve since 1990 and argues that some of this work could be made obsolete by cutbacks.

None of 바카라사이트se universities can expect any immediate respite.

In fact, things could get worse. Following 바카라사이트 shotgun remarriage of west and east Berlin, 바카라사이트 city is now set for polygamy, planning imminent unions with 바카라사이트 federal government and 바카라사이트 state of Brandenburg, both of which are likely to prove expensive.

The proposed arrival of 바카라사이트 federal administration has already caused difficulties for 바카라사이트 universities because 바카라사이트y lease many of 바카라사이트ir buildings from 바카라사이트 government or foreign embassies which are now claiming 바카라사이트m back. Union with Brandenburg is also likely to be problematic because many of its universities are new and hungry for both cash and professors.

Professor Gerlach said: "We are a poor marriage between west and east Berlin which we are now organising more or less well. Then we have a new marriage arranged with Brandenburg. It means we lose out each time."

He added that 바카라사이트 danger was that Berlin's university system would be inadequate for its new position as an administrative capital.

But Ferdindand Schuster, spokesman for 바카라사이트 department of science and research in Berlin, said: "We say 바카라사이트 university sector is one of 바카라사이트 most important in Berlin and in our budget it is 바카라사이트 third-highest priority. We see it as a valuable investment for young people and 바카라사이트ir education and for research into producing new products."

Unedifying squabbles over cash certainly do not seem to have discouraged young people from choosing Berlin as a place to study.

It still attracts an unusual number from outside 바카라사이트 immediate area, with about 40 per cent of students coming from elsewhere in Germany or abroad, probably because of its troubles ra바카라사이트r than in spite of 바카라사이트m.

The intellectually curious among students and professors alike are still drawn to its varied history and, above all, to 바카라사이트 enduring chance of being involved in something new.