"I do not heule with the dogs."

On 23 May occur Gesine Schwan, 65, as the SPD candidate for election to the Federal President. In the interview, the professor speaks on tuition, the fear of losing - and about the "excellence Gedo", from which they can not leave lull.

 

Uniblogs: Ms. Swan, what could you as a student of President expect?

Norbert ENKER
Social swan (in blogs, discussion): "We do not need Best Selection"

Swan: I would make for much better education. I think education for the key resource in our society. If the state now in the financial crisis has so much money, then he should do things for the long term anyway needed and from which future generations will benefit. And what would be more than in education to invest?

Uniblogs: The students would have been happy if you opt for the abolition of tuition fees were initiated.

Swan: I am against
Tuition fees. The open access to universities is required. For the Viadrina, the European University in Frankfurt an der Oder, which I until last fall had led, fees would have been a death sentence. Our students from Central and Eastern Europe did not have the prices they can afford.

Uniblogs you have Romance, Philosophy and Politics student. Subjects, not just for a Jobgarantie stand. What should young people study, based on the global labor market have?

Swan: It is entirely unclear how the labor markets evolve, the skills are in demand tomorrow. Therefore, students today learn primarily to take responsibility, even politically. Education, we need above all to strengthen the personality, to train the ability. And of course, to learn how to learn. Moreover, I believe that the diversity of talent is our treasure, not leveling. The Scandinavians are so successful because they are individuals with their different abilities to take seriously and encourage.

UNIblogs 1 / 2009

TITLE
Play me the song of death
A music scholar doctorate on Death Metal

Content

Uniblogs: But the system evolves in a completely different direction. Studying is value-oriented and as quickly as possible.

Swan: I was never a fan of
Bachelor and Master. The shorter periods of study Thoughtful prevent everything. Thinking takes time and a certain calm. The students will not even more time for a semester abroad. This demon is unbearable.

Uniblogs: When you do Viadrina President were missing your students as well as time to think?

Swan: We are all stuck in this Hamsterrad. But I have at the Viadrina in addition to research and teaching many other activities promoted to the personality formation. With more than 5500 students, there are now some 40 university groups, in which chess players, musicians and athletes have found. These students have learned how to take initiative, how to organize how you together. That is something coming in the German education system today, quite short.

Uniblogs: The German education system is continually reformed. What are we doing wrong?

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Swan: It is not enough, a few
ramshackle buildings to renovate, what we need, above all, good staff. Only then can we assure the quality of education and ensure that they reach more people. And we should stop just in the categories of competition and competitive thinking. We do not need best selection, the 90 percent of graduates abstempelt losers. This makes fear. And who has fear, learns nothing. I know some private schools, a very different understanding of education. The students learn only in projects. The young people are as liberal crucial subjects of their own education seriously.

Uniblogs: Maybe you should prefer to apply as Education Minister.

Swan: I do not think that I, as Minister of Education so awful lot could change. Since you can trigger programs are good ideas and support with money, but to me it would be important to the political culture in the country to change. I want a new awareness of policy.

Uniblogs: That sounds like speech Sunday.

Swan: As President, I could give a very good stimulus, even for a better education policy. I am getting from this
Excellence is not Gedo lull. I am not among those with the dogs howl. I know that I do so often unpopular, but in the current crisis we have, because we had many intellectual followers. This must not continue.