End of the crisis is within reach.

The students and professors at Witten / Herdecke to breathe. Donors have a rescue package for the Privatuni laced, Software AG Foundation, 40 percent of shareholders' shares. Number of students and tuition fees will be in the next few years.

 

The future of Germany's oldest private university of Witten / Herdecke (UWH) appears for the coming years. On Monday, signed with the Darmstadt Software AG Foundation, the new main sponsor of the University of a shareholder agreement, together with other donors, including the Student Society and an alumni association.

Witten / Herdecke: Germany's oldest Privatuni

The university receives from the Software AG Foundation is a guarantee of ten million euros and four years as a four million euro investment. For the same period all shareholders together 15 million euros, of which "3.5 million from donors who are not yet wish to be named and with whom we agree the coming weeks," said Uni-CEO Michael Anders blogs ONLINE. Also in the news release says the new business was open for the participation of other strategic partners. A new President for the UWH be in the next three to four months can be found, said Anders.

The Software AG Foundation receives for their commitment and the risk that they are in accordance with the guarantee is received, 40 percent of shareholders' shares of the UWH. Other shareholders of the UWH Privatuni Foundation, the Association for the development of community hospitals Herdecke, the student society, and a consortium of university-related investors that are critical of the Witten alumni initiative is taken. "The alumni control at three million euros, one million euro donation from the former directors," said CEO Anders.

Thus, the Keeper of the Witten
Uni-culture prevailed. While the university in recent months by investors and struggled to survive, students and alumni had feared it could lead to a sell-off of
Ideals of Privatuni come. These fears should now be dispelled the moment. Areas of study in Witten had "continued personal development, interdisciplinarity and internationalization," said Martin Butzlaff, Scientific Director and Executive Committee member.

Permanently from the game are obvious, the management consultancy Droege International health and education SRH Group Holding. Also announced by the first commitment of dioceses of the Catholic Church is no longer mentioned.

Nor does the state money does not

Shortly before Christmas Break 2008 was only marginally Privatuni
Bankruptcy can be avoided. In a
Night session at the end of January in Dusseldorf Science Ministry agreed University and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, a 16 million euro comprehensive concept for the future with new members and a guarantee of 10 million euros.

The state grants totaling 13.5 million euros for this and next year, the Science Minister Andreas Pinkwart (FDP) had been promised, despite the now agreed shareholding structure has not yet been released. A spokesman of the Ministry said, however, the Privatuni was a giant step forward successful. If Witten / Herdecke now audited economic plans for 2009 and subsequent years, will also stand the payment in December, stopped subsidies nothing in the way.

CEO Anders said, now with the new structure and decided on the financing concept, the university "for the coming years well." In four years, the university constructed a balanced budget, with consolidation and increasing returns to be reached.

The number of students is currently 1200 to 1700 increase, also a renewed increase in tuition fees is at. Students currently pay for a degree in dentistry zehnsemestriges Euro 48,000. Witten / Herdecke, the students currently in medicine, dentistry, business and nursing sciences. With the additional university places will be the university's core themes of health, economy and culture strengthened, said Bureau member Butzlaff.