Regional democratic contests - Institutions issue alerts regarding the potential danger of perpetuating racial prejudice.
Following the elections outcomes in Saxony and Thuringia, academic institutions in these regions advocate for global openness and oppose the normalization of bigotry. They take pride in having individuals from various parts of the world and diverse backgrounds studying and working within their establishments, ashighlighted in ajoint statement by the Saxon State Rectors' Conference, the Thuringian State Presidents' Conference, and the German Rectors' Conference. To maintain this diversity, an environment that ensures constitutional protection against discrimination is essential.
The statement further encourages all parties and citizens to work towards preventing science skepticism, limitations on academic freedom, normalization of racism, intolerance, or exclusive beliefs and stereotypes. "Our mission continues to strengthen social unity and trust in our democratic society that values freedom."
Political Neutrality
In both states, the AfD party secured over 30% of the votes in the September 1st elections. In Thuringia, they emerged as the leading party, while in Saxony, they narrowly trailed the Union. The Left party alliance, headed by Sahra Wagenknecht, finished third in both states. The universities, obliged to maintain political neutrality, did not name any particular parties in theirstatement.
In their statement, the university representatives underlined the significance of preserving university autonomy and academic freedom, which plays a vital role in maximizing science's potential to benefit society. "Global openness is an indispensable aspect of this. Only a university that thinks and acts globally can remain competitive and future-ready."
The universities in Saxony and Thuringia, despite the political shifts, affirm their commitment to admitting students from different parts of the world, as these high schools are renowned for fostering a diverse learning environment. Maintaining such a diverse community at high schools is crucial to upholding academic freedom and ensuring the institutions remain globally competitive.
