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HU President Sabine Kunst with the Berlin State Secretary for Science and Research, Steffen Krach (left), and Mayor Michael Müller (archive photo)
Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka / picture alliance / dpa
Sabine Kunst, President of Berlin's Humboldt University (HU), resigns in protest against the new Berlin Higher Education Act.
She announced this on Tuesday morning.
The 66-year-old will resign at the end of the year.
In a long personal statement, she justifies her resignation with the new higher education law in Berlin. You consider it "well meant, but badly done". The outgoing President wrote: "The changes in their entirety endanger the excellent further development of the Humboldt University and ultimately Berlin as a location for science." She could not support this political decision.
The red-red-green coalition in Berlin recently reformed the university law. An important innovation: Anyone who has a doctorate and continues to work scientifically must in future receive a »confirmation of affiliation« - a prospect of a permanent position. Previously, scientists had protested for months against precarious working conditions at colleges and universities under the hashtag #IchBinHanna on the Internet and in social networks.
"I can understand that well and see the urgent need for change," writes Kunst in her statement.
The university president also sees a downside: the changes in the law will significantly increase the number of permanent academic staff over the next few years.
The current structures are not geared towards this and there is currently no counter-financing in sight.
That is why Sabine Kunst is now stepping down after five years in office.
She has been President of the HU since 2016.
Her current second term would have run until 2026.
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