Germany plans to again charge foreigners for studying
It would seem that after many years of discussions, protests, and ultimately the abolition of tuition fees at German universities seven years ago, the new initiative of Baden-Württemberg is simply a bad joke. However, the government of this federal state is seriously considering the possibility of again charging a fee for educational services at public universities located on its territory. As reported by Deutsche Welle, the innovation will primarily affect students from non-EU countries.
If the plans are implemented, starting from the winter semester 2017/2018, foreign students will have to pay 1,500 euros per semester for their first higher education degree. A second higher education degree will cost 650 euros per semester – both for foreign and German students.
Those who have already started their studies at a university will be able to obtain a diploma almost for free. These students will continue to pay only the minimum semester fee, like all other German students. The victims of the new reform will be foreign first-year students who will attend classes from the winter semester 2017/2018. Students participating in academic exchange programs are not included in this category (nor are non-EU foreigners who obtained their high school diploma in Germany).
The idea of introducing tuition fees belongs to Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Education and Science, Theresia Bauer. In this way, the Green politician hopes to replenish the budget. She plans to spend part of the funds on improving the quality of education and expanding the number of programs to support foreign students.
By 2022, according to the ministry's calculations, the number of foreign students at universities in Baden-Württemberg will reach 16,000. The largest groups in the winter semester 2015/2016, as reported to Deutsche Welle by the Baden-Württemberg Statistical Office, are students from China (5,685 people), Turkey (5,365 people), and India (1,751 people). Russians rank fourth (1,726 students), Ukrainians seventh (1,037 people).
The final version of the bill was presented on January 13. Its essence is outlined on a special ministry website, where users could share their opinions – mostly critical. "This bill, in my opinion, is counterproductive. It creates an obstacle for people seeking to acquire new knowledge," one user believes. "Access to education should be for all people, regardless of how much money they have and which country they come from," notes another.
However, the discussion has long gone beyond the online forum. And the critics of the reform are driven not only by a sense of justice. The fact that the proposal came from the Greens added fuel to the fire. In the program of this party, which together with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) forms the ruling coalition in Baden-Württemberg, the absence of tuition fees is one of the central tenets. Therefore, some consider the minister's intentions a breach of taboo, fearing the worst consequences: if the rule is abolished for foreigners, where is the guarantee that it will not later lose force for everyone else?
The discussion in Baden-Württemberg is being watched with curiosity and concern in other federal states as well. After the abolition of general tuition fees, only in Saxony did the government allow universities to charge fees from non-EU foreigners. Only the Leipzig University of Music and Theatre (HMT) has taken advantage of this. In addition to the semester fee of 193.50 euros that everyone pays, foreigners are charged 1,800 euros per semester for tuition.
If Baden-Württemberg decides to introduce tuition fees for foreigners, other states may also consider this method of replenishing the budget. "Of the 1,500 euros per semester, universities will receive only 300 euros to support foreign students. There can be no talk of improving learning conditions. Tuition fees for non-EU foreigners contradict the goal of internationalizing education," notes the German National Association for Student Affairs (Deutsches Studentenwerk) in a statement.
The students themselves are also actively expressing dissatisfaction. Protest actions recently held in Freiburg, Heidelberg, and Stuttgart, nearly 14,000 signatures under an online petition on the Change.org portal – will this influence the politicians' decision? In February, the bill will be considered in the Landtag of Baden-Württemberg. The result of the discussion is expected to be known in April-May of this year.