Hildesheim (dpa / lni) – Lower Saxony’s universities have called on politicians to exclude them from planned budget cuts. Austerity measures could harm not only science and research, but also economy and society in the long term, warned the Lower Saxony State University Conference, the Scientific Commission and scientists from various research institutes in a joint statement on Friday. In the corona pandemic, science has proven its effectiveness. In any case, an expert report found a renovation backlog of 4.3 billion euros in the university building.
Background: The state parliament has decided on reduced spending of almost 24.3 million euros for the Ministry of Science for the 2020 budget year – that means a 1.1 percent cut in the university budget, the signatories said. In 2021 it should be around 20.1 million euros. In addition, reduced spending of almost 12 million euros is planned in the coming year – how this should be achieved is not clear. Further savings measures are planned until 2024 – with unclear consequences for the universities.
The state university conference and renowned scientists are convinced that success and dynamism are primarily due to the wide range of research topics and research funding, it said. This created fertile soil that made it possible to react quickly to challenges such as the corona pandemic and to redirect ongoing research work.
According to the information, a report prepared by an independent commission identified a renovation backlog in university buildings of 4.3 billion euros in May. The sometimes “desolate” condition of the buildings not only affects safety and health, inadequate research conditions also weaken the competitiveness of Lower Saxony, the statement said.
In addition, the second online semester puts a strain on the universities – financially and personally. At the same time, other federal states, including Bavaria, increased their financial efforts in science and research. To cut the universities’ funds during this time was “a more than negative signal to the outside world”.
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