Maintaining promising prospects and opportunities in research and teaching poses a particular challenge in the face of multiple crises (the war in Ukraine, high inflation, and the climate and energy crises). We are committed to this and consider it important and urgent that all disciplines are able to develop equally in teaching and research in line with their performance. A high degree of transparency, tolerance and respectful interaction at all levels are crucial prerequisites and mission statements for this development process; we aim to contribute to these through our collaboration and to support the university constructively in overcoming these crises.

In the ‘University Autonomy’ group, colleagues from the professors' group and the mid-level academic staff group work together across status groups. We come from all the schools at our university and share common core beliefs. In this way, we integrate different perspectives, interests and experiences into collegial discourse, and develop and pursue common goals.

Our manifesto for the 2025 University Senate elections

The successes achieved through the Excellence Initiative, the ‘zukunft.niedersachsen’ programme and the strengthening of the North-West axis through co-operation with Bremen open up highly promising prospects and opportunities for our university in research and teaching, which we must capitalise on. However, this development process also brings with it major challenges, for example, the as yet insufficiently promoted networking between the cultural and humanities disciplines on the one hand and the natural sciences on the other; the still unresolved issue of space; increasing bureaucracy; the lack of momentum in digitalisation; and unattractive posts at all levels. Crucial prerequisites for ensuring that the development process is nevertheless successful are a high degree of transparency and constructive tolerance, which we demand at all levels and contribute to constructively through our own involvement.

Priorities for the University Senate’s 2025–2027 term of office:

research

In research, we face national and international competition across all disciplines. Outstanding research achievements are based on trust-based collaboration between researchers at all career stages. We aim to ensure that research staff in all Schools and Institutes enjoy competitive working conditions. High-quality research is usually not feasible without third-party funding. Research networks funded by third-party funding are therefore particularly important for good research opportunities and, consequently, for the university’s autonomy. We expressly recognise the specific academic cultures within which research is conducted across different scientific disciplines. World-class research requires freedom for those involved, which is increasingly being restricted, amongst other things, by administrative frameworks. This freedom must be improved or re-established so that the University of Oldenburg remains an attractive employer.

Teaching

We are committed to high-quality teaching across all Schools and degree programmes. In our view, this is the key means of countering the risk of falling student numbers. This requires dedication and commitment from all academic staff at the Bachelor’s, Master’s, State Examination and doctoral levels. The highest priority is placed on imparting a solid foundation in the subject, an interdisciplinary perspective and the ability to act independently, creatively, innovatively and responsibly. This creates the best conditions for developing students into independent and critical thinkers of integrity, so that, building on this foundation, they can contribute successfully to our society in whatever careers they pursue.

We aim to create more freedom within the study programme whilst also demanding and supporting the necessary commitment from students. In doing so, it is particularly important that students are able to learn from and with one another without fear, that all students can realise their potential, enjoy their studies and demonstrate a visible increase in knowledge. The university must take responsibility for ensuring that graduates can make a successful start to their careers using the skills and competences they have acquired.

Digitalisation and bureaucratisation

Not least due to changing circumstances, the administrative burden at the university has risen steadily in recent years. This is having a negative impact on research, teaching and administration alike. We must make greater use of the opportunities offered by digitalisation to streamline processes and thereby create more freedom.

Career prospects in academia

We will work at all levels available to us (University Senate, Faculty Councils, Dean's Offices, Institutes) to utilise and further develop the scope provided by the Academic Fixed-Term Contracts Act at our university as comprehensively as possible in the interests of early-career researchers. Furthermore, we will advocate for scholarship holders to be employed as research assistants in graduate colleges in exactly the same way as they are in research projects.

We are committed to the further development of coherent, discipline-specific concepts for doctoral degree programmes and research training groups , whilst also supporting the continuation of individual doctoral programmes. Furthermore, we are committed to developing coherent concepts for the postdoctoral phase. These must meet the needs of early-career researchers and take account of national and international competition, so that Oldenburg remains an attractive location for early-career researchers. Contract set-ups drawn up by the university administration must be guided by this principle and support it.

Meaningful staff development does not end with the funding of training posts. Attractive research and working conditions for mid-level academic staff must be actively developed in order to attract and retain highly qualified and motivated colleagues. This also involves striving, in future planning of the post structure, for a balanced ratio of research assistant (WiMi) and teaching assistant (LfbA) posts that is appropriate to the specific nature of the respective subject.

We are also committed to ensuring that the opportunities for reducing teaching loads provided for in the NHG can be utilised.

Internationalisation

As a medium-sized university, the University of Oldenburg must be firmly rooted in the region, whilst also rising to international challenges in teaching and research, taking into account the diverse academic cultures. We must appropriately seize and utilise the resulting opportunities and potential for development arising from regional and international cooperation. In particular, the opportunities for cooperation with our partner university in Groningen must be further nurtured and expanded, even under the changed political framework conditions.

We are committed to ensuring that our degree programmes continue to grow in appeal to international students. We expressly support improved opportunities for our undergraduates and PhD students to spend parts of their studies and doctoral research abroad.

Visiting academics should perceive the culture of the university – where they are welcomed and well looked after – as attractive and inviting. The university’s internationalisation strategy must take these aspects into account.

A family-friendly university

The university’s childcare provision (nursery, kindergarten) is insufficient. We are committed to developing a range of services that meets demand for all status groups of students and staff, and to expanding these particularly during times of crisis. The university is growing, but unfortunately the structures needed to balance work and family life are not keeping pace.

Another key point is to better align semester dates with school holidays, in order to ease the burden on students and staff with childcare responsibilities and to promote a better balance between family life and work or study.

Transparency and reliability in academic self-administration

We call for decisions relating to academic self-administration to be taken by the relevant, professionally competent and elected bodies.

We strongly advocate that the elected bodies, in particular the University Senate, exercise these powers in a pragmatic, consensus-oriented and objective manner. We regard the University Senate as a crucial, constructively critical body for monitoring and supporting the Presidential Board, and as a forum for a vibrant culture of debate.

Achievement and Responsibility

The integration of research and teaching is essential to us. Consequently, recognition should be based on performance and commitment in research and teaching. We regard lectures as the primary duties of university lecturers, which must not be replaced by other activities or extensive delegation of tasks. We view staff categories that are restricted to either research or teaching with great scepticism.

Autonomy and Cohesion

For us, the term ‘university autonomy’ says it all: the university must be, and remain, a space of autonomy within society – both academically and organisationally. We advocate that the university should make important decisions itself in a professional, efficient and responsible manner within a reasonable timeframe, and we wish to play a constructive role in this process. In doing so, the goal of optimal (inter-)national networking for our university is a key guiding principle in decision-making.