Protests at Bielefeld University: Students are fighting against massive cuts!

Protests at Bielefeld University: Students are fighting against massive cuts!

On the evening of June 26th, the protest group “Bielefeld unshortened” occupied Lecture Hall 15 at Bielefeld University. The reason for this action is the announced reductions in funding allocations by the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia, which are due to come into force from 2026. These cuts affect the basic funding of universities and amount to a total of 255 million euros, which corresponds to around five percent of the total budget volume latnrw.de reported.

The protest group acts independently of the elected student committees, but the university's rectorate is in regular contact with them and has taken note of the students' concerns regarding the future quality of studies and teaching. The Rectorate already spoke to the elected student representatives of the AStA on June 18th and is planning a conversation with the student councils next week. However, detailed information about the amount and scope of the upcoming cuts is still pending, which is why the university cannot currently assess exactly what specific effects can be expected.

Consequences of cuts for higher education

The announced cuts could have far-reaching consequences for research, teaching and the administration of the university. Debora Eller, coordinator of the State ASten meeting in North Rhine-Westphalia, warns against a clear-cutting of educational policy and points out that up to eight percent of positions could be cut. North Rhine-Westphalia already has the worst care rate in Germany, and further savings would further exacerbate the situation. The quality of teaching and research is also at risk, and numerous jobs are at risk.

The Rectorate of Bielefeld University has already discussed the possible consequences of the cuts with deans and managers in technology and administration. However, there are still no final decisions on the financial resources for the faculties from 2026 onwards. The university is looking for ways to avoid the cancellation of courses and is examining alternative rooms and teaching formats.

Future of higher education financing

The savings planned by the state government are part of a comprehensive strategy that the Ministry of Culture and Science in North Rhine-Westphalia is pursuing. In addition to the 255 million euros in cuts, the state also plans to make a one-off contribution of 240 million euros to the universities' reserves. These reserves are crucial for stability in difficult economic times and a levy would only worsen the precarious situation of universities, he said latnrw.de.

The Rectorate has already articulated the possible consequences of the massive cuts to the ministry. Meanwhile, the protest action by the group “Bielefeld unshortenable” is expected to end on Saturday, July 5th. The protest group uses opportunities to point out grievances, such as the cancellation of teaching hours in the Faculty of History, Philosophy and Theology, even if these are not directly related to the country's announced cuts.

With these developments, dialogue between universities, students and the state government is becoming increasingly necessary in order to ensure sustainable and fair financing of higher education.