Hamburg reaches future contract with universities

11 February 2021

Another EUR 750 million through "future contracts" until 2027

Universities in Hamburg are to receive an additional EUR 750 million in funds by 2027 through "Hamburg Future Agreements" for the six state universities and colleges, the University Hospital Eppendorf (UKIE) and the State and University Library. The contracts foresee increasing basic funding by 3 per cent over the present university agreements, which are due to expire soon.

Strong signal for third-level education

The agreements give research institutions predictable and reliable prospects as well as funds for investments in infrastructure, buildings and digitization, according to the Ministry for Science and Research. Katharina Fegebank, Senator for Science, Research and Equality, termed the agreement a "milestone for science in the city. "Even in the particularly tense economic and financial situation in which we currently find ourselves, Hamburg is sending a strong signal for the development of the higher education sector," she added. The contracts will make Hamburg "a better, more attractive and stronger research location".

Hamburg to become north's beacon of science

The plans have been welcomed by universities in Hamburg. Micha Teuscher, President of the University of Applied Sciences, termed the negotiations a "clear commitment to Hamburg as a centre of science." The objective remains making Hamburg a "beacon of science in the north", he noted. "Together we have found that it will be important to continue developing Hamburg competitively as a centre of research, teaching and transfer with all its breadth in the post-corona era," Teuscher added.

Robert Zepf, Director of the State and University Library, said the funds will go towards the expansion of digital offers and renovating the library buildings. Blanche Schwappach-Pignataro, Dean of the Medical Faculty at UKE, said: "Our focus is on continuously developing university medicine and pioneering teaching at UKE. This benefits Hamburg as a healthcare location as well."

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Sources and further information

www.hamburg.de

Hamburg Contracts for the Future

The signatories of the Hamburg Future Contracts are the six state universities, which are represented by the Landeshochschulkonferenz Hamburg (LHK): University of Hamburg (UHH), Hamburg University of Technology (TU), Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW), HafenCity University (HCU), Hamburg University of Fine Arts (HFBK), Hamburg University of Music and Theatre (HfMT) as well as the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and the State and University Library "Carl von Ossietzky" (SUB).