German universities could be ‘less attractive’ as far right rises

German universities could become “less attractive” to academics and students after the success of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party in recent state elections, sector leaders have warned.

Earlier this month, the anti-immigration AfD won the most votes in Thuringia, followed by the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and came in second after the CDU in Saxony. While the CDU and other major parties have ruled out collaboration with the AfD, the party now has a “blocking minority” in Thuringia after winning more than a third of the seats.

The AfD was also expected to do well in state elections on 22 September in Brandenburg, the northeastern state surrounding Berlin and bordering Saxony.

Christian Doeller, vice-president of the Max Planck Society, warned that German institutions could become “less attractive employers”.

“If you have anti-immigration parties strongly represented in parliament or in power in government, that will help to set the agenda, which might also make the life of people coming from abroad a lot more difficult,” he said.

“In science, we need diversity,” Professor Doeller added, noting that international academics made up around two-thirds of the doctoral cohort at the Max Planck Institutes and about three-quarters of postdocs. “Science is interdisciplinary and international. We really need this openness in society.”

Ursula Staudinger, rector of the Technical University of Dresden, said that while the election results were “concerning”, she did not fear for her institution’s “stability and security”, telling Times Higher Education that the current state government and the rectors of all Saxony’s universities had agreed in May on the terms of basic funding for the next eight years. “This agreement is of utmost importance to us,” Professor Staudinger said.

While “convinced” that TU Dresden would “continue to attract students and top researchers from around the world”, Professor Staudinger said both the recent state election results and broader trends towards right-wing populism across Europe were alarming. “Scientific excellence and the positive economic outcomes it fosters can only be realised through global cooperation and exchange,” she said.

Andreas Marx, president of the University of Jena in Thuringia, noted that economists had predicted a negative economic impact from the rise of the AfD and the “left-wing conservative” populist party Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW). “This could affect Jena’s status as a science hub unless countermeasures are taken, such as increased investment in the region,” he said.

“We are worried that prospective students might reconsider moving to Jena,” Professor Marx added. While he stated that “German higher education and science are not at risk”, pointing to the academic freedom protections in the country’s constitution, he added: “The German government should strengthen universities in the east by increasing funding, supporting research initiatives and expanding infrastructure to promote academic excellence and regional development that also addresses the problems that are causing our society to drift apart.”

“Universities and other educational institutions will have to play a central role in defending our social future,” Professor Marx said. “Strengthening and promoting democracy will become even more crucial, as educational institutions work to uphold academic freedom and foster an environment of open enquiry.”

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com