Even after the conclusion of talks between Berlin's universities and the Senate Department for Science, Health and Care, questions remain unanswered. The universities need reliable basic funding - especially with increasing responsibility for the permeability of state universities. Permeability means that we pave the way for a variety of students to enter higher education, that we facilitate their support during their studies, promote their chances of successfully completing their studies and monitor the evidence-based effectiveness of graduates in their professional fields.
Our task as ASH Berlin not only includes the qualification of urgently needed specialists in the social, educational and healthcare sectors, but also the scientific examination of social challenges and the development of sustainable solutions for system-relevant problems. Here we see the Berlin Institute for Applied Research (IFAF) as a unique nationwide cooperative network of universities of applied sciences, which creates added value in the form of innovative solutions for the state of Berlin in close cooperation with the regional economy and non-profit organizations for applied research on issues from the economy and society. For this to succeed, the IFAF also needs reliable basic funding.
The Berlin School of Public Health (BSPH) with the Master of Public Health of the same name is a successful model of cooperation between Charité, TU Berlin and ASH Berlin. The BSPH provides interdisciplinary qualifications in the field of disease prevention and health promotion for the population and supports students on their way to management and research in the applied field of health, where holistic thinking is required. The Master's program is in excellent demand, the BSPH is strong in research, but its funding is now being cut by over 40%. Politicians should definitely change this.
Cuts in the field of science do not only affect abstract systems, but concrete people, users of socially relevant knowledge, educational pathways, research projects and support structures for more justice in the education system. We hope that the coming years will be used to work with politicians to develop smart solutions for a diverse Berlin higher education landscape with added value for the people of Berlin and with international appeal.
