University Financial Woes at Leipzig University: Student Council Urges State to Address €16 Million Deficit
The Student Council (StuRa) of the University of Leipzig has appealed to the Free State of Saxony, urging the government to provide sufficient funds and special allocations to cover the university's real needs. The institution is currently grappling with a significant structural budget deficit of 16 million euros for the years 2026 to 2028.
According to the StuRa, the lack of special allocations from the Free State is creating a huge hole in the university's budget. Rennert, a member of the StuRa, stated that saving on small subjects could endanger the character of a comprehensive university and sacrifice education to an economic logic.
The StuRa is particularly critical of the planned reduction in personnel through "natural fluctuation," which targets temporarily employed academic staff. They believe that a real consolidation process needs transparency, dialogue, and co-determination.
The StuRa is skeptical about the university's ability to maintain the quality of teaching due to budget cuts. To address these concerns, they propose a balanced approach that minimizes negative impact despite planned personnel cuts and reviewing less-attended degree programs in Saxony.
Key strategies include prioritizing the safeguarding of core academic functions, strategic personnel management, program review with thoughtful restructuring, leveraging external networks and funding, and inclusive and evidence-based decision-making.
Lily Landschreiber, the StuRa's representative for teacher training, added that the StuRa is not only demanding protection of existing conditions but planning security and quality for everyone. The StuRa also emphasizes the importance of maintaining the range of subjects with reduced personnel.
The university's management is responding with a two-stage consolidation plan. Obergfell, in an interview with MDR, is examining which tasks are legally prescribed, which can be fulfilled with more efficient processes, and which tasks will no longer be able to be performed in the future.
The events remind us of the cut discussions 15 years ago, when the Free State imposed a strict austerity policy on its universities. The StuRa calls for the preservation of the diversity and attractiveness of Saxon universities.
The StuRa has announced a town hall meeting for October 20th, a first step, but they believe the state government must follow up. They are not just demanding protection of existing conditions, but planning security and quality for everyone. The future of Saxony's universities hangs in the balance.
- The absence of special allocations from the Free State not only threatens the university's budget but also potentially endangers the comprehensive nature of its education.
- To ensure quality in the face of budget cuts, the StuRa suggests a balanced approach that focuses on safeguarding core academic functions, strategic personnel management, program review, leveraging external funding, and evidence-based decision-making.
