More students, tougher competition, new challenges in a digital society

Hessen's universities formulated their expectations of the future state government in Wiesbaden on Thursday. The representatives of the universities, the universities of applied sciences and Geisenheim University of Applied Sciences presented their joint election touchstones, which address, among other things, the very high level of student numbers in the long term according to all forecasts, the ever tougher competition in research and the upcoming challenges in university construction and digitization. The questions are directed at all parties running in the Hessian state elections in fall 2018. The representatives of the universities emphasized that they are grateful to the current state government for the budget increases in the current Higher Education Pact 2016-2020 and expect the future state government to make further efforts to ensure the innovation and future viability of the state of Hesse.

"If universities are - as the Science Council has put it - the organizational center of the science system, then they must have both the appropriate autonomy and an adequate funding base," said Prof. Dr. Joybrato Mukherjee, spokesman for the Conference of Hessian University Presidents (KHU) and president of Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU). He said that the Hessian universities have so far used their autonomy very responsibly for the benefit of science and society. Prof. Dr. Frank E.P. Dievernich, spokesman for HAW Hessen and president of Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (FRA-UAS), said, "We universities in particular are essential engines for social development and economic progress, especially through our extremely successful knowledge and technology transfer."

The universities face numerous challenges for which they will continue to depend on support from the state in the future. Student numbers, for example, have recently risen disproportionately. The university representatives emphasized that it would not be possible to ensure and improve the quality of studies and teaching without an improvement in the student-teacher ratio. The area of research must also be strengthened in order to further improve Hessen's competitiveness in the national and international arena. This applies to both the universities of applied sciences and the universities.

In the coming years, further substantial investments will be needed in the technical and structural infrastructure. The advancing digitalization requires extensive adjustments in all areas at universities, he said. "Hardly any other social actor is so comprehensively affected by this development," the electoral test papers state. In addition, in order to meet the great need in the area of new buildings and to close the worrying gaps in renovation, the universities are dependent on a substantial expansion of the HEUREKA II program until 2025/2026 as well as a reliable continuation of the Hessian building investment program, which has received considerable attention nationwide, as HEUREKA III.

Further information
www.khu-hessen.de

Contact

KHU Office
Justus Liebig University of Giessen
Press Office
Phone: 0641 99-12041
pressestelle@uni-giessen.de
 
HAW Hessen
Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
Communications and Event Management Dept.
Phone: 069 1533-3047
pressestelle@fra-uas.de