Steinbrück slows billion package.

Well, times that we have about it: After long and tough negotiations to the Minister of Science billion in research and education pump. But Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck, however, is - he wants the decision to delay the parliamentary elections.

 

Everything again from scratch - when Finance Minister Peer Steinbrück (SPD) prevails, the universities have a long wait for the billion dollar federal-state research and special programs for universities. Steinbrueck said on Thursday, on his own initiative, would be the three programs under budget reservations. Federal research minister Annette Schavan (CDU) confirmed the budget proviso.

This is a decision before the national election in September, very unlikely. Steinbrück said that his action was coordinated with the Chancellor.

AP
Finance Minister Steinbrück: braking maneuvers in the formation

Steinbrück locates incalculable financial risks, particularly given the economic crisis. He now manages on a collision course with the Education Ministers. On 4 June to Chancellor Merkel and the Prime Ministers of the countries over the billions programs decide.

If they do not, as Steinbrück it now calls the decision could be a very long plod along: first, the Bundestag, then possibly lengthy coalition negotiations, a new cabinet with new ministers and departmental interests that need to be re-balanced - and all this only on the side of the federal government.

Still tough and lengthy is usually the opinion of the countries: in education issues, the federalism increasingly zirzensische trains. The countries have all the options, the painstakingly laced package unravel again, on the extent and distribution once tedious to argue - or completely special to bring. The need to "with all the necessary resources," said Schavan on Thursday, "this must be no uncertainty for the affected students and scholars emerge."

Steinbrück programs will not "go against the edge"

Such uncertainties make Steinbrück and his counterparts from the country finance ministries. Just over a week had the science minister after
months of struggle finally agreed as the most important higher education programs for research and teaching will be financed. The Joint Science Conference, the ministers from federal and state sit rang in Berlin as a compromise, which is a finely balanced equilibrium between countries producing and investment of 18 billion euros for the next ten years.

The Joint Science Conference make three special programs perpetuate the excellence initiative to develop academic excellence, the Pact for Research and Innovation, and the Higher Education Pact. A large part will go into research, the Higher Education Pact until 2015 but about 275,000 additional places for the baby boomers born graduates create.

GWK-DECISIONS: WHO DOES WHAT FOR WHAT?

Higher IIExzellenzinitiativePakt pact for research

By 2015 to more than 275,000 students
2005 created. The cost of around 6.4 billion euros
want the federal and state share. Compared with the 2007 closed
Higher Education Pact I that had been 91,000 extra places by beginners
2010 provided, the expenditure per student of 22,000 euros to
26,000 euro to be increased. In addition, a research -
Lump sum of around 1.5 billion euros. It aims at projects
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for a better
Equipment at the universities provide. The costs
The federal government alone. Source: Reuters

For the commitments still to 2011
Excellence initiative are ongoing 2.7 billion euros.
The federal government is again three-quarters of the costs, the countries of the rest The funds are again in competition. The first
Excellence initiative, which even from the previous red-green government
started, had a volume of 1.9 billion euros. The goal is
the establishment of an internationally recognized cutting-edge research to
German universities. Planned are three program pillars again with
different axes. In the third program line
concepts for the development of elite universities were awarded prizes. Source: Reuters

The before Bundestagswahl 2005 pact should be continued - also by 2015.
The federal government has proposed that the budgets of the major
Research organizations by at least five percent
increased - even to tariff increases and higher energy costs
offset. The basic funding of the five major
Research organizations - including the Max Planck Society and
DFG - 2008 amounted to around 5.7 billion euros. Source: Reuters

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Finance Minister Steinbrueck said that in addition to the budget reserved for the three programs, there is also in some Länder have appropriate Cabinet decisions. "It is but natural that for Research and Development, for the Excellence Initiative as the Pact for Higher Education in the next few years, cash flow needs," said Steinbrück. He had no interest in the programs "against the edge to go." Next said the Minister, the Chancellor's action was not contradicted. However, should the new government and parliament after the election to have any chance in the context of an overall balance priorities and risks involved.

Even the finance ministers of the countries want the universities to the Bundestag vertrösten. On Thursday, they referred to a strategy group, which until October proposals for better funding of education and research to make. "There is therefore no need at the moment, the results of this strategy by a group of early adoption of the individual measures to prejudge what the public budgets and in addition a considerable burden", says the decision of the Minister of Finance.

"Scrapping per stroke of the pen, education experienced"

The SPD deputy chairman Steinbrück used the announcement of the budget proviso to an attack on Chancellor Angela Merkel. The 28 billion euro, the Union and FDP now campaigning as a tax relief versprächen, had been in the past year in education will naturally have wanted the prime minister actually seven per cent of gross domestic product by 2015, invest in education. This goal had Merkel and the Prime Minister in October on the so-called
Education Summit in Dresden announced.

Michael Kretschmer, university and research-policy spokesman of the Union Group, turned against Steinbrück. The politicians of the Union Research Group, expected at the meeting of Chancellor and Prime Minister on 4 June in Berlin "a binding decision on the future of vital projects." Both in the countries as well as the federal government should now "concrete commitments" made.

Also North Rhine-Westphalia Science Minister Andreas Pinkwart criticized Steinbrück. "The billion-dollar scrapping with the stroke of a pen approved, innovation and education are experienced," said the FDP politician.

"Disappointed and concerned" showed Matthias Kleiner, President of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). "The decision on the continuation of the pacts only after the Bundestag election, I believe that for fatal," said Little, "I hope now to make a word to the chancellor and the prime minister." The future of its investment is essential and should be decided now, they expanded far more sustainable effects than many other initiatives to combat the economic crisis. "