Universities get more money and new subjects

Saxony's universities can expect more money in the coming years and are also to create new study programs. For example, a new astrophysics course is planned at the TU Dresden, business informatics at the Bergakademie Freiberg and a civil engineering course at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, Science Minister Sebastian Gemkow (CDU) announced on Tuesday after an external cabinet meeting in Zwickau. Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) said that the "University Development Plan 2025plus" would set the course for the next decade.

The aim is to maintain the number of around 105,000 students in Saxony despite demographic developments. This is a contribution to the influx of skilled workers from other regions of Germany and the world, said Kretschmer. He added that the planned further development of the Berufsakademie Sachsen into a dual university would also help. This will increase the number of universities in Saxony to 15. According to the plan, further digitalization at universities will also be promoted.

The money for universities is to be increased in the coming years. Gemkow explained that they are currently funded with around 760 million euros per year. This amount is to increase: initially by an additional 5 million euros in 2025 and then up to 30 million euros extra in each case from 2028 to 2032. This is not only intended to offset cost increases, but also to develop and expand services. When asked, the Minister emphasized that the upgrading of the vocational academy would not be at the expense of the other universities in the Free State. There is separate funding for this.

Saxony has a diverse university landscape. There are 14 state universities in total: In addition to the four universities in Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz and Freiberg, these include five universities of applied sciences and five art colleges. In addition, there is the Berufsakademie Sachsen with seven locations, where a dual study program is offered. It is set to develop into a dual university. There are also state-recognized universities run by private or ecclesiastical institutions as well as administrative universities.