"Deaneries are no command receiver".

Monika Auweter-Kurtz, President of the University of Hamburg, is in conflict with the leaders of the faculties. In a sharply worded letter remarkable five deans made their displeasure air. ONLINE blogs documenting the letter dated Tuesday, 9 June 2009.

 

Dear President,

S.O.S. from the ghost ship.

On the campus of Hamburg will be turbulent. With their rough style of leadership the President has almost all the university against the upset. Deans attacking Kurtz Monika Auweter-sharp, professors encourage their deselecting - only the University considers to be "rocket Moni".

 

Hamburg - Wednesday evening from 19 clock: four hours explaining the heads of all six faculties of the President, their letter of the day (from blogs ONLINE documented:
"Deaneries are no command receiver"). They call is significantly less interference from above in the various disciplines and cultures, disciplines, a trust for the future and one end of the very "robust" command and personal tone. The President will remain as participants reported, unrepentant. It is fruitless apart.

DPA
Monika-Auweter Kurtz: Iron Lady in the wind

Already on Wednesday morning was 120 of 550 professors signed by the President by deselecting the relevant Hochschulrat required. More would have therefore not been signed, "because in this case fear of reprisal," explained the initiators, including the China expert Michael Friedrich.

At the University of apparently rampant fear of the President - and this is part of a long simmering conflict and highly unusual in the fifth largest German university with nearly 180 degrees, about 38,000 students and over 4000 employees. Even before the inauguration of Monika Auweter-Kurtz at the end of 2006 was quite rude to. Students rejected them because they too close to the defense industry (which Kurtz Auweter-flight the nickname "rocket-Moni" eintrug) and their attitude per Studiengebühren accusing.

Hardly more backing from the University of

Auweter-Kurtz came to the university more efficient and new structures in research and teaching to enforce. So far one of the Hamburg University in Germany not just to showcase universities in rankings they landed reliably on the rear seats, also in the excellence initiative remained for them only crumbs.

Fresh Wind, the new president in the university bear the profile, the university closer to the tip and the direction. At the same time this means a break from the traditional Kollegialführung (University leadership as "primus inter pares") to strong presidential leadership with great decision-making authority and control only by the University Council.

Even after a few months, however, continue to the physicist many university staff with the attempt to gag professors collectively - by
"Muzzle-adoption." And this kind of behavior was not a gaffe. Soon, the teeth grinding and grumbling about the harsh tone of the president loud and clear, its retention at the university ever disappeared.

"Excellence starts at the top"

Additional there is controversy about the possible relocation of the entire University in the Hamburg HafenCity flagship project - which is approximately two billion euros is expected to swallow. The fact that many university buildings are ramshackle and must be rehabilitated, there is no question, a study found two thirds in a poor or very poor condition. But the right way out of poverty is highly controversial. Kurtz-Auweter raves about the chances of a complete new building over the coming decade, by which the university also could grow significantly. Many of their critics, however, argue for a more cost-effective renovation, so the university their previous locations in the city can retain.

ON TO ONLINE blogs

Uni Hamburg: "deaneries are no command receiver" (11.06.2009)

Hamburger muzzle affair: "Punish the one hand, and educate hundred" (10.05.2007)

Muzzle of Professors: The recalcitrant palsy (22.06.2007)

Documented: The Hamburger "muzzle-adoption" (10.05.2007)

Uni-bureaucracy: Lost in the crowd (08.04.2009)

Präsidentenkür at the University of Hamburg: "rocket scientist" takes next hurdle (28.07.2006)

Woman at the wheel: Uni Hamburg nominated controversial "rocket scientist" (22.07.2006)

This dispute is playing more at the level of urban planning, not only from the university to decide. At the university is moving to address issues of leadership style, the handling, the culture of dialogue. And on dictatorial posturing professors sometimes react very sensitively. "Excellence starts at the top, keep the deans of the President in her letter, which the university is a pluralistic institution. And in anger, hardly slowed the deans rant further about "rolling course", "Reformwahn" and a "catastrophic external representation" to the President finally subtly suggest: "Employee motivation is the beautiful sister of the performance audit."

Around a fifth of the professors rebelled already open, the former vice president has from the President clearly separated, while the current Vice-audible silent - even a signal. And even in the University, the supreme governing body with representatives from the university and external executives, for example, from the economy, increasing the critical voices against the stubborn policy of price-Auweter Kurtz, now also known as "Margaret Thatcher on the Elbe" is called - the former Prime Minister on the Thames was brusque behavior and "top-down" decisions notorious.

The critics see themselves not as snipers

In a deselecting Auweter-Kurtz of the University Council would, however, an alternative for the tip. In the letter to the president and the deans, the University already has a vast Tip: Dezent praised the cooperation with the "sensitive" Vice President in the development of a structure and development plan for the university - to the President, this matter to the "chief cause" and so that the offense did.

Gabriele Löschper the so-called vaunted "sensitive Vice President." It could be the pre-reform course in calmer waters to continue, says Dean of circles. In contrast, search-Auweter Kurtz - since youngest even with the help of an international PR agency - to create the impression that their critics are a strange world Häuflein erzkonservativer opponents of reform yesterday.

Despite repeated requests from blogs ONLINE was the President's own opinion does not reach. Meanwhile their opponents want to play a role as "deviants" or "sniper" partout can not ascribe. How long will the suspended game between president and deans take? Insiders are sure: "By the end of next week's coming to a bang."

"The students do not want a new Rudi Dutschke."

For next week, students and pupils are planning a major strike formation. Even a dispute and strike experienced professor from Berlin mixes with political scientist Peter Grottian, 67 In the interview, says the activist altlinke why a bit of tinder to be already.

 

blogs ONLINE: Professor Grottian, pupils and students have called for a strike. What has an old professor how to create?

Grottian: An old professor like me is still interested in education policy, I teach and examine even after my retirement yet, and the conditions at the universities simply calling out to protest. I have been preparing the September 2008 accompanied here and there where a council.

PERSONAL

AP

Peter Grottian was from 1979 to 2007 Professor of Political Science at the Otto-Suhr-Institut of the Freie Universität Berlin. Stir with protests as he announced fare, with whom he discussed the abolition of social tickets in Berlin wanted to prevent. The 67 - year-old repeatedly caused displeasure with conservative politicians in Berlin and became a few years ago, even the sight of the Constitutional.

blogs ONLINE: Do today's students tuition of a strike-experienced defenders like you?

Grottian: Students do not need a professor like me, but it distinguishes this generation, that they accept people like me. This is one feature of this strike that the students not exclude anyone. You do not among themselves, but together with the protesting students and unions and other related social movements.

blogs ONLINE: The pupils and students want in more than 100 cities strike. Can such a comprehensive action work?

Grottian: This generation of students is an extremely sensitive sense: You do not want power clusters, but has been very conscious for a decentralized organization of the strike decision. The students do not want a new Rudi Dutschke or no new Lora Dutschke. You want a strike of many faces - and not a top bloke, top or upper activists strategists.

blogs ONLINE: And what is it?

Grottian: The strike is aimed against abuses of the entire education system, such as the chronic under-funding of universities, the economization of education and calls for the abolition of Bachelor and Master in their present form. A true contrast to the official educational policy, then, in the billion dollar business and
Federal programs and made only the research elite and the physical infrastructure of educational institutions operated without the specific school and study situation. It is improving but nothing, absolutely nothing, if you only replace the toilet by paying nothing for learning from person to person makes.

blogs ONLINE: Do you really think that the students en masse to the streets?

Grottian: This is the big question. The current situation is good: The discontent at the universities is very large. Many students have noticed that the University has only one
Hamsterrad is where they retreat to retreat, from test to test rush. But you should also already be honest and say: There are both among the students as well as students mobilize internal problems. The forms of grassroots mobilization - it works out poorly. That one, for example, invites professors in their courses for half an hour on the strike to talk, which is too rarely made, although certainly half the professors very
critical to the bachelor's / master's programs stands.

blogs ONLINE: Why?

Grottian: There is certainly a fear of defeat. That the fellow said: Is not out yet, we continue the matter further. The claims in this strike are very largely, this is very positive, but average students often have a very pragmatic view of life. Therefore, it is difficult for them to win. This is so that the students and the students are so wedged into their power systems. In their daily struggle for survival, they have their heads no longer free, and perhaps say: such a strike is nice, but I must now urgently for the next exam learn. Many can not imagine that learning and education could be different because each lacks imagination and utopia.

blogs ONLINE: How do the strike ends because they arouse imagination?

Grottian: During the preparations, there were many discussions about the correct forms of protest. Fairly normal forms such as demonstrations or acts of civil disobedience? Now it will give both, in addition to the demonstrations around a fictitious bank raid. The conviction has been repeatedly argued by the students: A strike may prefer it not be. Precisely when to strike on Friday, it is important that students in conflict with the Kultusministerkonferenz also unsubscribe. When the Minister of Culture of the students demanded the two interlocutors refuse, it could come to a Umzingelungsaktion. A bit of tinder must be just now.

Everything must go, but DALLI.

A little pressure from above, and you open the floodgates: 6.5 million euros from tuition fees, the Niederrhein University gebunkert - intern "reservoir" called. Under pressure from the policy it must spend the money now. And suddenly it is extremely hectic at.

 

At the Lower School on Tuesday, it was somewhat uncomfortable. Like the ants, so you can hear from the college, the technical staff to be confused Departements be gone. Through the course of procurement wuselten some applications in which the ink was not yet dried.

Hochschule Niederrhein
Hochschule Niederrhein: Idyllic located in the "reservoir" of tuition fees

Reason for such non-academic Do: There must be money spent. A lot of money. And as quickly as possible. The best yesterday.

Large numbers running through the corridors and laboratories. Two million, almost two and a half million euros will be ringing out. Instruction from the very top. So there was a mechanical engineering professor on Tuesday morning, easily irritated in the lecture hall: 800,000 euros to spend, he should, from now on the same, and yet he knew not how, the professors confessed his students.

Previously know the universities in Germany "December fever" very good: Just prior to year end will be all kinds of major expenditures are made in laboratory equipment or new desk chairs ordered, just so the money is not forfeited and the next financial year the budget is not reduced. At the Krefeld School is now the "June fever" broke out. It is a surplus in the budget of 6.5 million from tuition fees, accrued over the past two years.

"Our reservoir is filled with students of the money in the pot-filled environment of the rectorate also mentioned. Money, the Rector Hermann Ostendorf
einbehielt deliberately and for its personnel in the coming years.

Command: locks to go with the money

East Village problem: For some weeks outraged his creative and highly proactive financial management not only the student representatives, but also the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Science. On Friday the minister responsible rüffelte Andreas Pinkwart (FDP) and Niederrhein the three other universities, they are obliged to gebunkerte fees Euros
immediately run - until mid-June should be clear where the money is "timely" to be invested. Tenor: "Students are not money in the savings asset."

In a crisis meeting on Monday, to the Rector Hermann Ostendorf and his Vice-President for Teaching Michael Lent deans had loaded, it was a question: locks up, and away with the money before we have the ministry at the end takes away - because that was exactly Pinkwart Spokesman universities threatened.

The ultimatum Pinkwart brief explains the turmoil in the corridors, because the rectorate was probably the pressure directly to the deans on. "Within this year" would have to spend millions to be, said Michael Lent blogs ONLINE.

"Until the evening hours," would have management and deans on Monday together to eat, said Lent. On Tuesday, the Vice-President then spoke with the individual departments in detail about where the funds can be used.

Merry deans, students unfrohe

From the sudden fireworks investment benefit mainly the laboratories of the technical, organic and physical chemistry, as well as the Department of process engineering, robotics and instrumental analysis. "Happy" had been the Deans, "that the money we have now ran," said Lent.

Student representatives from the University criticized the bunkers of the student-million since the beginning of the year and call for transparency. But since a recent official talks on 15 May there was radio silence between management and students who complained of Asta Vice-Chairman Robert Kramer.

Also from the crisis talks on Monday, the students learned only from "Rheinische Post". The behavior of the University Leadership Kramer calls "strange". The students stated that they had expected. As the surplus of 6.5 million euros uncovered, they called on the Rector at the East Village, but their fees in half - if he did not know where to put the money.

But the student request for a fee reduction is not achieved by the vote in the Senate. Just as at other universities is approaching, so keep it on the Lower Rhine: What about the students use their Euros say is not relevant. The ministerial power word on the other hand, a higher education management is not simply ignore it - a Pinkwart-acclamation, and it starts to empty the reservoir.

60,000 cameras monitor Uni-examination.

Big Brother is always looking for: Ten million Chinese students must register with the university entrance examination of film cameras can. Because the authorities also fear the flu pigs, will be measured every day fever - an extreme degree.

 

It is probably the largest mass examination of the world since Sunday hatch back a good ten million Chinese on the national entrance examination to universities in the country. The candidates are 18 years old, the tests in China "Gaokao" referred to can be found on three consecutive days.

Because the "Gaokao" as the test is distributed over the weal and woe of the future careers provides access students and parents sometimes illegal means. In the spring of this year, some parents even threatened
Prison sentences because they had tried their children with technology and provided answers to examination by the locks.

This year, driving the authorities, according to a BBC report on additional technical equipment to students as overambitious parents to cheating and to prevent spiking in exam rooms installed 60,000 employees of the Ministry of Education cameras.

Extra rooms for students with flu symptoms

While in Germany the examination in the federal states on various dates to take place and it has always been due to shoddy preparation
Roadside comes, everything in China is centrally planned. The exam questions are considered state secrets and to be in Examenstag guarded by armed policemen kept safe.

In addition to the annual fraud trials are available at this year's "Gaokao" another problem: the fear of the beginning of May and arrived in China pig flu. The National Education Examination Authority and wants to play it safe. Each exam room will be twice a day, disinfected, and each of the ten million examinees must test before his body temperature can be measured, reported the state news agency Xinhua. For participants with flu symptoms, there are also separate examination rooms.

Before about 8000 test centers year by year, the agitated parents of examinees. They fear and worship their children may be performing well. The candidates seem to see the somewhat calmer: "The test was not as cruel as all previously claimed," said Ma about Yang, 18, on Sunday the government newspaper China Daily in Beijing. "It felt like a completely normal exam," he told about his tests in Chinese and mathematics.

Fewer participants than last year

The number of participants in the study this year was surprisingly dropped. The Ministry of Education reported that the number of test takers is less by 400,000 than the previous year. Reason is the continuing economic crisis in China remains
tense situation for graduates in the labor market.

"The myth that a university degree a safe workplace, is there," said an employee of a recruitment of the Beijing Institute of Technology, the "China Daily". In fact, were from the 5.6 million graduates from Chinese universities in 2008 are still around one million, almost one fifth, without work, Xinhua reported.

About 60 percent of school-leavers, the most "Gaokao participate, create it now to a university in China. The only places in the top universities in Beijing or Shanghai, however, is a safe way to a good job. Pupils whose parents can afford it, so many years looking for their salvation rather at universities in the U.S. and Europe. The only other remains buffalo - and despite flu panic and monitoring a good exam result.

Kieler students are now less glassy.

The University of Kiel relented: If you are a pathological examination reports must be no intimate health reveal more details. The test candidate must be a doctor no longer exempt from the duty. The Asta celebrates a victory - but at many universities is After drilling more commonplace.

 

Students who participate in the Christian-Albrecht University in Kiel because of a disease miss an examination must now no longer complete their illness prior to the audit and thus spread to justify their absence.

DPA
Bedridden: what the candidate is lacking in Kiel is no longer a matter for the university

With a new certificate form, the university adopted it, by the attending physician of the student, the symptoms of the disease to find out if this is for health reasons a test can not participate.

Previously, the university requires that students with their signature on the form the confidentiality of their medical cancel. Literally, it was until a week ago on the form, because the student involved should be clarified, it was necessary, "if necessary, the treating physician of the duty to relieve." In addition, the doctor had symptoms, type and duration of power reduction on paper.

Those who refused, the university threatened to flunk in the corresponding test. It was now in a revised form away.

Dozens of universities require Illness Details

At the University of Kiel at the end of April was the strife between student representatives and university management on the then current
Sick leave form escalates. While the university insisted that, with student representatives agreed to, should, according to a student member of the Central Committee to study the time "to waive the secrecy still be maintained."

For the Kieler Asta is the new form, the university presented a week ago, the controversy over medical confidentiality a small victory - but still exist in dozens of universities further examination, a certificate request as detailed as it was customary in Kiel.

Among the universities, the symptoms and sometimes query the confidentiality of the doctor nullify include some departments at the universities of Munster, Hanover,
Kostanz and
Ulm and at the University of Koblenz. Similarly, handle it, for example, the college
Bingen, the University
Freiburg and the Technical University
Dortmund.

For many other readers of blogs online, it appears that in Germany the queries of disease patterns in test the rule rather than the exception. In connection with the case, Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein Thilo Weichert DPO interference in the privacy of the students than the law, but "politically problematic data" means.

The Asta Kiel wrote to the new form, it was "quite in keeping with the students." The doctor must now only confirm that audit-related symptoms present - what exactly that is remains in Kiel now again a confidential information between doctor and patient.

Why young Afghans studying German.

Not all German students in Kabul are able to Germany. But anyone who learns the language, may hope a better life. Trina is now studying in Jena - "it feels as freedom to." And Khalil is glad that he no longer paper baskets after bombs must scan.

 

Jena is so harmless. So sure. When Khalil Ahmad Sarbas walk to the university, is at the corner Pommesbude and no armor. He must not worry that a Taliban in the library at a table and sits up in the air blasts. He needs the toilet rooms do not scan after bombs and even the litter bins in the lecture hall not. "This is a very good feeling," says the 23-year-old student from Afghanistan.

At the University of Kabul are those security measures is essential. Since then, nearly three years ago in an attack at a university in western Afghanistan's Herat a student died, the Kabul academics have become more cautious. "The fear is always there," said Khalil, who two years as a researcher at the German university Afghan agents.

His path led to the university every day at the German Embassy over. There, where only last January a suicide bomber with five Afghans killed in the. "It is incredibly difficult, with such news to be ready," says Sarbas.

For several months, he is responsible for the master program "German as a Foreign Language" in Jena and was thus one of seven German students from Kabul University, a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) have. After his graduation, in the best case for the thesis, he wants to return to Afghanistan to continue to work as a lecturer. "Under all circumstances," he says. "As a German I can young people a future perspective."

Close contact with the German Armed Forces

Who speaks German in Afghanistan, we must hope: for a comparatively well-paid job, and hence to a better life in the crisis region where the average monthly income is under $ 20.

The rush to study in Germanic in Kabul is becoming stronger. "We now have very many candidates reject," says Professor Gholam Dastgir Behbud, head of the chair. 30 students, the professor can accept each year, hundreds apply. "You know how many options they have when they speak fluent German," he says. German was one of the most important languages on the spot.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen companies like Siemens, for instance, or have branches and Afghan translators need. There are posts in the German foundations, and in the Isaf force protection of the Bundeswehr. "One of the soldiers, we maintain very close contact," says Behbud. Many of his students worked as a translator for the German Army.

Student Khalil follows with concern the news. He hears that more and more against the German Bundeswehr deployment in Afghanistan and that in any given year as many attacks as was the 2008th In the conflict so far lost 29 German soldiers their lives. The Bundestag had last October despite the mandate of the Bundeswehr to a further 14 months. Around 3800 German are currently in the crisis region stationed. Up to 4500 men and women, the protection force to be increased.

"For us, it is important that the soldiers left," says Sarbas. "For the reconstruction of the country's stability and our hope."

Khalil like Nietzsche quotes

Also Shahkar Trina, 27, just their German masters work in Jena has worked during her studies in Kabul with the German soldiers together. The Afghan hospitierte at the radio station Sada-e Azadi, the Isaf force in Afghanistan operates. "It was one of the most exciting things I've done," she says. Since they would like to be a journalist.

It belonged to Khalil, as well as the First, in Kabul after the Taliban period studied Germanistik. Previously, during the civil war in the nineties, the University of Kabul was the scene of fierce battles. Not only all the classrooms were destroyed, but also the whole of the German educational materials department. Most scholars fled abroad.

Only in 2001, Professor Behbud together with aid agencies and the DAAD Chair rebuild. "Meanwhile, we are pretty good with materials and computers," says Behbud. "We even have an gutsortierte library."

As Trina Shahkar and Khalil Sarbas with her studies began, there were only a few and totally outdated textbooks from which teachers for all students copied. "I still feel the aftermath," says Sarbas and laughs. "My German friends always ask me if I am not less swollen could express. Here I use simple sentences or phrases that I have learned in Afghanistan - perhaps sometimes sounds old-fashioned."

Sarbas stands in Jena in the drizzle on the campus, wrapped in thick lined denim jacket and a colorful Wool, waiting for his course begins. Just stay at home because the weather is uncomfortable and the bed so warm, so there is something for him. "I know very well how privileged I am that I have received this scholarship and that I am with my training a little later in Afghanistan can move," he says, quoting Friedrich Nietzsche: "Hope is a rainbow over the falling stream of life .