University chancellors from all over Germany meet in Braunschweig Focus: Democracy and Science Management
Chancellors from all over Germany will gather for the 67th annual conference on 18 and 19 September under the theme “Universities – Places of Democracy”. This year’s conference, which is being held at Technical University of Braunschweig, will address the question of how universities can maintain their role as places of democratic culture and pluralistic exchange in the face of current challenges.
Various geopolitical crises and increasing social polarisation in recent years have put pressure on universities and their management. This pressure arises both internally, from students, staff and committees, and externally from political and social actors or interest groups. University management is confronted with a wide range of issues, including protests, occupations, demands to end scientific cooperation, and challenges to the freedom of research and teaching enshrined in the Basic Law.
“For some time now, universities have been observing developments in Germany, our neighbouring countries and the USA that are increasingly at odds with the fundamental values of democracy. That is precisely why it is our task to strengthen universities as places of freedom, responsibility and resilience. Only resilient universities can contribute to the long-term protection and shaping of democracy,” says Dietmar Smyrek, full-time Vice-President of Technical University of Braunschweig.
The annual conference of the Association of Chancellors of German Universities, held at Technical University of Braunschweig, aims to comprehensively examine the importance of democratic processes as a framework for universities, with a particular focus on the role of chancellors. To this end, an engaging programme of lectures and discussion formats has been organised, bringing together diverse perspectives from experts in academia and related scientific institutions.
The 67th Annual Conference of University Chancellors sends a strong signal: universities are not only places of research and teaching, but also central spaces of democratic responsibility.
Falko Mohrs, Niedersachsen’s Minister of Science, said: “Science is under increasing pressure worldwide. Authoritarian narratives seek to degrade truth to a bargaining chip and reinterpret open discourse as a diffuse danger. Universities are at the centre of this – precisely because they are places of debate, plurality and critical thinking. As a state, we want to strengthen our universities with a modern higher education act. A law that does not restrict, but enables: through greater autonomy, personal responsibility and leaner bureaucracy. I am grateful that the chancellors of our universities are guiding us on this path. Open, critical, constructive.”
Chancellors – the organisational backbone
Chancellors head the administration of a university and, together with the president and other elected members, form the university management. They are responsible for the budget, finances and personnel, as well as ensuring the university is organised in a legally compliant manner. As budget officers, they ensure that resources are used efficiently and responsibly. In addition, they are the central point of contact for legal and administrative matters. Infrastructure, construction projects and the digitisation of administration also often fall within their remit. In this way, they create the administrative and organisational conditions for successful teaching, research and knowledge transfer.
About the Association of Chancellors of German Universities
The association is the central network of senior administrative members of universities in Germany. It serves as a forum for the exchange of information on strategic, organisational and financial issues relating to university management. Together, they represent the interests of the chancellors with regard to politics, society and science. It is committed to ensuring that universities are efficient, legally compliant and sustainable.
About Technical University of Braunschweig
TU Braunschweig lives up to its self-image as a cosmopolitan and international university. Technical innovations and social progress are always conceived with people in mind. TU Braunschweig combines the expertise of engineering and natural sciences with that of economics, social sciences, humanities and education in order to find sustainable solutions to today’s and tomorrow’s global challenges.
The university is located in the heart of Europe’s most research-intensive region. Students can conduct research both inside and outside the university while studying. To this end, TU Braunschweig maintains an interdisciplinary ecosystem with the Helmholtz Association, the Fraunhofer Institutes, the Leibniz Institutes, federal research institutions, municipal institutions and large industrial companies.