Universities of Applied Sciences adopt position statement

SPECIFIC PROPOSALS FOR DATI AND INTERNATIONAL SKILLED LABOUR

Berlin: At the annual conference of the “Bad Wiesseer Kreis”, Germany’s universities of applied sciences (UAS) positioned themselves very clearly: In various position papers, they offered concrete proposals for the structure of the German Agency for Transfer and Innovation (DATI), and they also called for a paradigm shift in political thinking in order to provide international students with easier access to the labour market. The conference took place in Berlin on 15th and 16th March.

DATI: A 10-point catalogue for a clearer structure

The UAS member group of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) has been vehemently calling for the introduction of a new instrument to promote applied research and transfer since 2016. With the coalition agreement of the federal government, this instrument is now taking concrete shape. The universities of applied sciences emphatically welcomed the decision to establish a German Agency for Transfer and Innovation “to promote social and technological innovations, particularly at universities of applied sciences and small and medium-sized universities (…)”, reads the coalition agreement.

Germany, Europe and the world are facing major challenges: Climate change, political instability, the associated collapse of supply chains, pandemics, digitalisation and societal cohesion are all issues that highlight the regional and global dimensions of these challenges. Germany needs improved regional innovation ecosystems in order to do justice to the impact of the globally networked world and, at the same time, to become more regionally independent.

“Germany’s universities of applied sciences have what it takes to meet these challenges in a particularly flexible, solution-oriented, interdisciplinary way and at a high level, because they stand for practical and applied relevance and transfer like no other type of university. To master the key social challenges of the future, universities of applied sciences must be significantly strengthened and better equipped to make such an important contribution,” says the spokesperson of the 118 universities of applied sciences organised in the HRK, Prof. Dr. Karim Khakzar, President of Fulda University of Applied Sciences. In their position paper, the universities of applied sciences identify the following points, among others, as success factors for DATI:

• Firstly, they recommend a lean structure for the agency that may be set up and implemented quickly, as well as the establishment and strengthening of numerous regional innovation ecosystems that represent the diversity of practice partners, far beyond commercial enterprises. To this end, the universities of applied sciences expressly welcome the endeavours of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
• Social innovations should be just as much a part of the funding as technological and economic innovations, and the evaluation system should be both streamlined and quality-orientated.
• Universities of applied sciences are calling for a funding volume of at least one billion euros annually in the long term in order to close the funding gap identified by the HRK, the Science Council and the universities of applied sciences for topics relating to applied research, transfer and innovation, and to achieve the desired effect.
• Finally, the universities of applied sciences cite fair access conditions as the key to success. As agreed in the coalition agreement, DATI targets in particular universities of applied sciences and small and medium-sized universities, which generally have excellent networks in their respective regions. The majority of the funds should be available to universities of applied sciences to successfully implement the concept of regionally orientated innovation ecosystems.

Turning international talents into skilled workers.

In their second new position paper, the universities of applied sciences call for nothing less than a paradigm shift in political thinking in order to meet the growing demand for skilled labour in Germany in the long term.

At the moment, approximately 330,000 foreign students are enrolled at German universities. However, only about 25 % of them make it into the German labour market. Reasons for this are dropout rates and a lack of assistance and advice regarding the right way to enter the labour market.

Universities of applied sciences have the potential to qualify even more international students for the German labour market thanks to their practical relevance, their regional anchoring, their good supervision ratio in teaching, and their experience with a heterogeneous student body. However, political will, a harmonised framework and interdepartmental measures from federal and state governments are required for universities of applied sciences to realise this potential.

Appropriate appreciation of the performance and commitment of universities of applied sciences, reliable framework conditions and adequate, long-term funding are necessary so that universities of applied sciences are able to implement the points that they have identified as being of premier importance:

The recruitment of international students must be intensified; students must be informed of the university type, inspired to study at a university of applied sciences and prepared for this opportunity, including being granted easier entry to Germany. The coordination and support structures at universities of applied sciences must be developed accordingly to ensure the necessary individual support for international students. Curricula must be expanded to include language, intercultural skills and other capabilities required to promote employability; meanwhile, practical study models, e.g., dual study programmes, must be expanded accordingly for international students.

“If universities of applied sciences are adequately equipped in the future, they will play a key role in shaping the development of skilled labour together with stakeholders in the relevant areas,” says Prof. Dr. Khakzar with some conviction. After all, they are already regionally anchored and internationally networked.

The full position papers may be found at: www.badwiesseerkreis.de/home/positionspapiere/
or downloaded here:

• Positionspapier_Bad Wiesseer Tagung 2022 zu DATI FIN
• Positionspapier_Bad Wiesseer Tagung 2022 zu Internationalisierung FIN

Further information on the Bad Wiessee Conference and the Universities of Applied Sciences is available from the following websites:
www.badwiesseerkreis.de and www.unglaublich-wichtig.de.