Higher education pact: Delay is an opportunity for adequate funding

The Hessian university presidents are taking a critical view of the renewed delay in presenting reliable budget figures for the Higher Education Pact, but also see this as a reflection of the state government's efforts to ensure adequate funding for Hesse's universities with their 250,000 students and around 34,500 employees, as well as the approximately 15,500 employees of Hesse's university hospitals.

Prof. Thomas Nauss, spokesperson for the Conference of Hessian University Presidents (KHU) and President of Philipps-Universität Marburg, explains: "With the agreement to defer investments of €475 million from their budgets, the universities have made a significant contribution to consolidating the state budget in 2025. In view of the increased costs for personnel and material resources, even constant budgets make sensitive cuts in research and teaching unavoidable. A further burden on the universities would attack their substance and reduce their performance in research, education and transfer in the long term."

Prof. Dr. Ute Clement, President of the University of Kassel, adds with regard to her university: "The further postponement of the deadline for the conclusion of the Higher Education Pact came as a surprise. However, more time for negotiations also gives us the opportunity to get the best deal for our students, our researchers and our staff. In view of cost developments, the University of Kassel needs adequate funding from 2026 and financial planning security. As the only university in North Hesse, we bear a special responsibility for the region, whose future viability also depends on our university education. This also applies in particular to teacher training."

Prof. Karim Khakzar, President of Fulda University of Applied Sciences and spokesperson for the Hessian Universities of Applied Sciences (HAWs), also emphasizes: "We urgently need planning security for our universities, but we now hope that time will be used to create a sustainable and competitive financing model that meets the important legal tasks of the universities and compensates for current and future tariff increases and cost increases."

Prof. Elmar Fulda, President of the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (HfMDK) and spokesperson for the Hessian universities of the arts, added: "We expect that further talks will lead to a higher education pact that leaves room for creative and innovative development and guarantees reliable working conditions. The universities are sticking to their demand that wage increases be fully taken into account and that an annual increase of at least four percent be planned."

The 14 universities have their eye on the scientific competitiveness in research and education of the state of Hesse, which is at risk of falling further behind strong federal states and in international competition. This has consequences for the state's research, innovation and creativity potential, for the training of urgently needed top specialists for the Hessian economy, for teacher training and for the study and employment situation at the 14 state universities themselves. The additional time must therefore be used for fundamental improvements. "By extending the negotiations, we are calling for the right and sustainable course to be set for the Hessian science system," concluded the presidents.

Press contact:

For the Hessian universities:

Dr. Gabriele Neumann
Philipps-Universität Marburg
Tel.: 06421 28-23010
E-Mail: gabriele.neumann[at]uni-marburg[dot]de