Christian Dürr, Member of the Bundestag (FDP):

"The European Medical School in Oldenburg is a central medical location for the region, which the state government of Lower Saxony has unfortunately not yet sufficiently focussed on. The medical Schools in Hanover and Göttingen are in a much better position."

Instagram post by Christian Dürr

"A further expansion of University Medicine Oldenburg must (...) be a high priority on the political agenda of the coming legislative period!"

Ten supporters of University Medicine Oldenburg signed the "Oldenburg Declaration" in September 2022:

• Oldenburg Employers' Association
• Employers' and Business Association Jade e. V.
• Friends and Supporters of University Medicine Northwest e. V.
• Oldenburg Chamber of Crafts
• Chamber of Industry and Commerce for East Frisia and Papenburg
• Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture
• Lower Saxony Rural Women's Association Weser-Ems e. V.
• Oldenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce
• City of Oldenburg
• Economic Association Oldenburg - Der kleine Kreis e. V.

Together, they emphasise the "outstanding role" of university medicine for the region and are pushing for an expansion to 200 human medicine study places. According to the declaration, the prerequisite for this is that the state of Lower Saxony establishes University Medicine Oldenburg as a fully-fledged third university medical centre in Lower Saxony and funds it adequately - either in a supplementary budget for 2023 or in the 2024 financial year at the latest.

With the declaration, the signatories also pledge their support for University Medicine Oldenburg in the future. "However, the financial challenges must be resolved promptly by the state of Lower Saxony in the interests of a future-proof University Medicine Oldenburg," they emphasise.

Oldenburg Declaration

“We believe it is necessary to implement the urgently needed further increase in the number of medical students in Oldenburg to 120 now (...).” This call was first made in January 2021 by representatives of the Working Group of Districts and Independent Towns in Weser-Ems, the Oldenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), the IHK for East Frisia and Papenburg, the Oldenburg Employers’ Association, the Oldenburg Business Association – DER KLEINE KREIS, the Friends and Supporters of University Medicine Oldenburg, and the Lord Mayor of the City of Oldenburg. In their letter, they addressed Lower Saxony’s Minister-President Stephan Weil, Finance Minister Reinhold Hilbers and Science Minister Björn Thümler. Given the current shortage of training places in Oldenburg and the anticipated shortage of doctors, there is a risk of “a dangerous and negligent undersupply in the north-west”. They stated that it was “extremely urgent” to “tackle the planned final expansion to 200 places per year with determination and consistency”.

In April, the representatives once again appealed to the state government. They emphasised their demand to increase the number of places at the University of Oldenburg for the 2022/23 winter semester. In Lower Saxony, due to the retirement of the “baby boomer generation”, there is a massive need for new doctors in the outpatient sector. “What is needed (…) is a further phased expansion from 120 to 200 students per year. To ensure this expansion is not jeopardised, it is crucial that additional funding is secured in the state budget.” The two-year budget, which is due to be adopted this year, is of particular importance in this regard. Now that the state government has provided the funding to get the urgently needed first research buildings off the ground, this increase in funding is the logical next step. The letter continues: “We would therefore urge you to take all necessary steps within your ministry to facilitate this increase in funding. Rest assured that the entire north-west stands behind the University Medical Centre.”

Letters dated 26 January 2021 and 6 April 2021 / Contact: Jörg Waskönig, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Oldenburg Employers’ Association (Arbeitgeberverband Oldenburg e.V.)

The Oldenburg Employers' Association (AGV) and the Oldenburg Business Association "Der Kleine Kreis" have criticised the state government of Lower Saxony for "saving money at the wrong end". According to Chairmen Jörg Waskönig (AGV) and Martin Steinbrecher, cancelling funding for the construction of a new teaching and research building is evidence of "political short-sightedness". University Medicine Oldenburg not only strengthens the medical infrastructure in rural areas, but also the north-west as a business location. It has also established itself as a centre of excellent medical research. The cancellation of the construction costs from the 2021 budget is "an affront to the region, to the economy and to all social groups who have worked for years with great commitment and financial effort to build the university medical centre".
Statement AGV / Small Circle

The investment in the teaching and research building is not only future-oriented, but also makes economic sense and is essential for the further expansion of study capacities, emphasise the Oldenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and the working group of districts and independent cities in Weser-Ems. "University Medicine Oldenburg, with its focus on outpatient medicine and healthcare professions, secures healthcare provision in the north-west. This is a top priority for us," says an open letter from District Administrator Jörg Bensberg, IHK Managing Director Dr Thomas Hildebrandt and IHK President Gert Stuke. The corona pandemic in particular has "once again shown how important adequate GP care is; this is precisely where healthcare research is one of the focal points".

State politicians from all parliamentary groups are also calling on the state government of the SPD and CDU to rethink. SPD MPs Hanna Naber and Ulf Prange emphasise: "The expansion of medical study places in Oldenburg has been firmly agreed in the coalition agreement. We insist that the coalition agreement is also implemented." Lower Saxony could only counter the shortage of doctors with a third medical centre alongside Hanover and Göttingen. The University Medical Centre in Oldenburg is doing an excellent job. If additional funds for the new building are not included in the 2021 budget, Naber and Prange suggest that the special fund of two billion euros set up for the renovation of the other two medical centres should also be opened up for the European Medical School.
Newsletter Naber/Prange

"As representatives from the city council, state parliament and federal parliament, we believe that the state of Lower Saxony has a duty to expand and fully fund university medicine in Oldenburg," said CDU member of state parliament Dr Esther Niewerth-Baumann, summarising an appeal that she had made to Hanover together with other elected representatives from the Lower Saxony governing parties SPD and CDU. Together with other politicians from the coalition, she will campaign for this in the upcoming budget consultations. CDU parliamentary group leader Dirk Toepffer sees University Medicine Oldenburg as a "lighthouse project" that is "of particular importance for medical care in Lower Saxony". He announced the search for a solution "to make the EMS financially future-proof, to implement the requirements for research and teaching capacities formulated by the German Council of Science and Humanities and thus to sustainably secure and expand human medicine study places in Oldenburg".
PM Niewerth-Baumann

Susanne Menge and Meta Janssen-Kucz, members of the Green Party in the state parliament, also complained that by cancelling the funding for the new building, the state government was "negating the excellent report card" that the German Council of Science and Humanities had issued for Oldenburg's medical degree programme. Without the "overdue" new building, the promised 200 study places would not be available, thus depriving the region of the opportunity to recruit highly qualified medical staff. According to Oldenburg MP Menge and health policy spokesperson Janssen-Kucz, further delaying the construction of a new building until the day after tomorrow would jeopardise the European Medical School and thus also the good co-operation with the University of Groningen. "All the investments and activities of the last 10 years would be lost capital."
Statement from the Greens

For FDP parliamentary group leader Dr Stefan Birkner, there is "no way around" a new building. As a unique model degree programme, the EMS shows "how international networking and combating the shortage of GPs can go together". It is "already a successful model" and "the right answer to the shortage of rural doctors". According to Birkner, this must become a fully-fledged third location for medical studies in Lower Saxony. Rented and converted office space is not a permanent solution for this. "Research and teaching need space and equipment," emphasised the FDP parliamentary group leader. Leaving University Medicine Oldenburg in the dark about the necessary investment in the research and teaching building is "a grossly wrong decision". According to Birkner, financing over a period of four years should be possible with a budget of 36 billion euros.

Oldenburg's Lord Mayor Jürgen Krogmann (SPD), himself a former member of the state parliament, is also in favour of the new medical building. Without the planned realisation, the development of university medicine "will be sent into an uncertain future despite the clear recommendations of the German Council of Science and Humanities", complains Krogmann. "This decision is an affront to the entire region."

In May, the representatives wrote once again to Finance Minister Reinhold Hilbers and the new Lower Saxony Health Minister, Daniela Behrens. In an open letter to the Finance Minister, they ask: “From a holistic fiscal policy perspective, surely it makes sense for Lower Saxony to prioritise the significantly lower training costs per student in its long-term planning?” Lower Saxony’s commitment to the further expansion of university medicine must not be abandoned or put on hold due to its general importance, the representatives from business and politics went on to say.

They thanked Health Minister Behrens for her “clear commitment to the further expansion of university medicine” at the Weser-Ems Forum organised by the Lower Saxony Medical Association in April. At the same time, they called for further support: “Work together with other colleagues to ensure that the required additional 10.7 million euros for University Medicine Oldenburg is secured in the state budget during the ministerial talks and the Cabinet’s closed-door finance meeting in July.” The aim must be to ensure the urgently needed increase to 120 students from the 2022/23 winter semester onwards and to plan for a further increase to 200 students.

Letters dated 26 January 2021, 6 April 2021 and 10 May 2021 / Contact: Jörg Waskönig, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Oldenburg Employers’ Association (Arbeitgeberverband Oldenburg e.V.)