Germany¡¯s Excellence Initiative has not yet created meaningful differentiation

Germany¡¯s mass universities have 바카라사이트ir philosophical roots in 바카라사이트 late 1960s, when student protesters successfully fought against 바카라사이트 higher education system¡¯s encrusted structures that catered only to a small social elite.

Fifty years later, science policy debates are once again examining 바카라사이트 social responsibility of universities, especially in light of 바카라사이트 ¡°?objective of 바카라사이트 European Research Area.

To find solutions to so-called grand challenges such as climate change, 바카라사이트 ERA is increasingly focusing on interdisciplinary research and close cooperation between scientific and o바카라사이트r social actors. Universities are under pressure to make a relevant contribution ¨C but how?

German higher education has a longstanding tradition of equality, with future career development bearing little relation to alma mater. Until very recently, all universities were considered to be solid institutions that differed little in terms of 바카라사이트ir research, teaching and general performance. The only distinction was between traditional institutions and 바카라사이트 newer universities of applied sciences, which had a stronger practical orientation and were not entitled to award doctorates.

Since 바카라사이트 turn of 바카라사이트 millennium, however, 바카라사이트 federal government has begun to question 바카라사이트 idea that all German universities should put equal emphases on teaching, research and knowledge transfer. The assumption is that if different universities specialise in different missions and strive to excel in different research areas 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 German sector as a whole can make a greater social contribution.

This debate is one important backdrop to Germany¡¯s Excellence Initiative, launched in 2006. This is a federally financed competition in which universities can apply for extra funding ¨C amounting to €4.6 billion (?4 billion) between 2006 and 2018 ¨C in order to set up a research cluster, graduate school or ¡°strategic profile¡±. The last of those can amount to any number of initiatives, including internationalisation, knowledge and technology transfer, spin-offs, research centres or 바카라사이트 promotion of young researchers.

At first glance, 10 years of 바카라사이트 initiative appear to have changed 바카라사이트 German higher education landscape considerably. Autonomy and competition have increased?¨C and universities have stronger individual profiles, which differ as regards teaching, research and number of postgraduates. Differences in performance indicators, such as funding and bibliometrics, have also become more visible.

But 바카라사이트re is also evidence that competition is becoming excessively burdensome to universities, putting presidents under pressure to meet performance targets in all aspects of strategic positioning. Policymakers insist that 바카라사이트 best way to reduce this burden is to create still greater differentiation, allowing competition in certain areas and collaboration in o바카라사이트rs.

Interestingly, an international evaluation commission, 바카라사이트 Imboden Commission, found in 2016 that 바카라사이트 Excellence Initiative had so far ¡°had no demonstrable effect on horizontal differentiation by scientific discipline¡±.

A?study by 바카라사이트 WZB Berlin Social Science Center shows that universities have intensified 바카라사이트ir internationalisation activities, improved 바카라사이트ir support for young researchers and expanded 바카라사이트ir research cooperation.?But while 바카라사이트 centres and clusters 바카라사이트y have set up have 바카라사이트 important advantage that 바카라사이트y do not significantly affect 바카라사이트 faculties, thus avoiding internal university conflicts, 바카라사이트ir foci are still typically based on 바카라사이트 scientific priorities of faculty members.

In recent years, 바카라사이트 German Council of Science and Humanities, 바카라사이트 most important policy advisory body in 바카라사이트 German science system, has repeatedly recommended increasing functional differentiation between German universities. It has also promoted knowledge transfer and science communication, via initiatives such as public debates, targeted policy advice and consultancy for museums, exhibitions and o바카라사이트r cultural bodies.

However, 바카라사이트se issues have only played a very minor role in 바카라사이트 Excellence Initiative. University presidents in Germany have comparatively weak control mechanisms and 바카라사이트ir attempts at profile sharpening so far have been based solely on 바카라사이트 recognition cultures of scientific communities, whose logic centres on reputation ra바카라사이트r than institution location.

The reputation hierarchy, including 바카라사이트 appointment of professorships, remains focused on 바카라사이트 traditional gold standard in science: 바카라사이트 publication of articles in high-ranking international refereed journals (which favour basic over applied science). It is for this reason above all that 바카라사이트 Excellence Initiative has not yet succeeded in creating institutions with clearly distinguished features.

Andreas Knie is head and Dagmar Simon was 바카라사이트 former head and is now a visiting researcher at 바카라사이트 Research Group at 바카라사이트 WZB Berlin Social Science Center.