German universities cut degree programs due to savings measures
Due to financial constraints, several German universities are planning cuts to degree programs. Primarily affected are humanities fields like philosophy and history. The measures aim to achieve savings in the millions.
German universities are reaching their financial limits. According to reports from the news magazine Der Spiegel, institutions in states like North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria must implement savings measures that threaten the maintenance of certain degree programs. The cuts stem from declining funding and rising costs, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cologne University plans to discontinue its bachelor's and master's programs in philosophy, as stated in internal documents. Similarly, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich faces threats to its ancient history program. 'We must prioritize to secure core tasks,' explained NRW Science Minister Matthias Burchardt in a statement. The affected programs have shown declining student numbers in recent years, facilitating the decisions.
The background is the strained state budgets. The federal government has not sufficiently increased university funding, while inflation and energy prices drive up expenses. Critics from academia warn of long-term consequences: 'The loss of these programs reduces the diversity of educational offerings and harms research,' said Peter-André Alt, chairman of the German Rectors' Conference.
Implementation of the cuts is set to begin in the winter semester 2024/2025. Affected students and faculty are protesting the plans and demanding more investment in higher education. So far, there is no unified national strategy, leading to regional differences.