2026 State Election
Statement by the President on the election criteria of the Saxony-Anhalt State Rectors’ Conference
Dear students, staff and colleagues,
The upcoming state election is also of great significance for our university. Many decisions to be taken during the forthcoming legislative period will have a direct impact on how we at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg will study, teach, conduct research, work and take responsibility for our state in the future.
The Saxony-Anhalt State Rectors’ Conference has therefore presented the political parties with election benchmarks. These address key issues for the universities and higher education institutions in our state: academic freedom, research and teaching; the funding of higher education institutions; attracting international students and skilled workers; IT security; university construction; teacher training; an effective university hospital; and knowledge transfer and innovation.
The parties’ responses to the election benchmarks (in German). The AfD left the enquiry unanswered.
As a university, it is not our role to make voting recommendations. We are a place of scholarship, open debate and democratic discourse. Precisely for this reason, it is our responsibility to highlight the issues that are crucial for the future of our university and Saxony-Anhalt as a centre of scholarship.
In their responses, the parties affirm the importance of higher education institutions and academic freedom. This is an important signal. At the same time, it is clear that there are differing views on key issues, such as future core funding, dealing with rising costs, tuition fees for international students, university autonomy and co-determination, investment in buildings and digital infrastructure, and the further development of teacher training and university medicine.
These issues are of great importance to our university. They will determine whether we can continue to facilitate internationally recognised research and ensure good study conditions in the future. The University of Magdeburg’s ability to connect with national and international networks is based on the structure of its Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes; any change would have a significant impact on student numbers. Will we therefore still be able to train the urgently needed skilled workers for Saxony-Anhalt, attract teaching staff, facilitate knowledge transfer to industry and society, and offer our staff reliable career prospects?
We are firmly committed to academic freedom, openness to the world, responsibility and excellence. We stand for a university that promotes diversity, conducts independent research, asks critical questions, shares knowledge and develops solutions to societal challenges. To achieve this, we need a reliable political framework, adequate funding, less bureaucracy and the trust to fulfil our responsibilities independently.
I would therefore urge you to read, discuss and take into account the election manifestos and higher education policy objectives of the parties standing in the state election when forming your own opinion. Higher education policy is not a marginal issue. It affects us all: students, academics, technical and administrative staff, lecturers, researchers and the many partners of our university within the state and far beyond.
In times of fierce political debate, our role remains clear: we do not campaign for political parties, but stand up for the importance of science, education and democracy. However, where necessary, we will clearly highlight the consequences of political decisions and will campaign vigorously to ensure that Saxony-Anhalt strengthens its universities as vital centres for the future.
Yours faithfully
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Strackeljan
President of Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg