Statement on the Higher Education Pact - Hessian Senates and Kassel University Council protest (15.07.2025)

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Supplement to the statement following the meeting of the senates of all 14 Hessian universities with Ministers Lorz and Gremmels on Tuesday, 15.07.25:

The senates of the 14 universities do not see that the future of Hesse's universities can flourish with the university pact now planned. We believe that the agreements that have now been reached urgently need to be improved. The senates share the fear expressed by all status groups of all universities that Hessen will fall behind nationally and internationally with this higher education pact. We declare our willingness to work constructively on the further qualitative development of the higher education landscape.

Broad support for the protest against cuts to Hessian university budgets

The Senate of the University of Kassel is currently endeavoring to make clear the importance of adequate funding for universities for the social and economic development of Hesse as part of the higher education pact negotiations for the years 2026 - 2031. The University Council of the University of Kassel expressly supports this.

The senates also warn of the consequences of underfunding universities in Hesse:

The senators of the 14 Hessian universities would like to thank the Ministers for Science and Art and for Finance for their willingness to engage in discussions. We hope that this dialog will continue.

  1. Hesse's universities make a significant contribution to the formation of democracy in society, to regional and overall economic value creation and to the appeal of the state of Hesse by facilitating innovation and training specialists and managers. Research is our most important resource. A strong science location secures the prosperity of the state of Hesse. Spending on education today is an investment for tomorrow.
  2. The key data of the new Higher Education Pact will inevitably lead to cuts at Hessen's universities, which correspond to ten percent of the universities' personnel budgets. This cut will not be offset by the planned annual increases in financial allocations. The planned Higher Education Pact will weaken Hessian universities in the long term.
  3. Underfunding, even in the medium term, will have a negative impact on the research location and on the fulfillment of our constitutional mandate for several decades. The inevitable consequence will bean increase in existing competitive disadvantages for Hessian universities compared to universities in other federal states. The quality and attractiveness of our study programs, the efficiency of research and knowledge transfer as well as the appeal of universities as employers are at stake. This also counteracts the successes achieved and to be achieved in the competition for excellence.
  4. The senators of the 14 universities in Hesse are devoting all their efforts to the development of research and teaching in Hesse as a location for science and research as an essential foundation of our society. We expect priority consideration in view of the importance of science for the state of Hesse. We demand adequate funding for universities, full compensation for pay rises and inflation and an annual increase in funding. This is the only way to secure and further develop the successes of recent years, which have been financed by taxpayers' money.

The senates of the Hessian universities

  • Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
  • Goethe University Frankfurt am Main
  • Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences
  • Fulda University of Applied Sciences
  • Frankfurt University of Fine Arts-Städelschule Frankfurt am Main
  • University of Art and Design Offenbach am Main
  • Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts
  • Geisenheim University
  • RheinMain University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden
  • Justus Liebig University Giessen
  • Philipps University Marburg
  • Central Hessen University of Technology
  • Darmstadt University of Technology
  • University of Kassel

Supported by:

  • Trade Union for Education and Science (GEW)
  • LandesAStenKonferenz Hessen (LAK)
  • United Services Union (ver.di)