The study of the natural world and how it works. - Thuringian universities of applied sciences become authorized to bestow doctorates.
Thuringia's Universities of Applied Sciences (FH) can now write and oversee doctoral theses under specific circumstances. On Thursday, the Landtag approved a law permitting these institutions to grant doctoral degrees. The move will be academically limited and time-bound, according to CDU parliamentarian Regina Polster in the Landtag. Places like Bavaria and Hesse have had similar regulations for years.
"Thuringia is facing a high rate of brain drain among its graduates," Polster stated.
Aim to Retain Specialists
The Left parliamentarian for higher education, Christian Schaft, considered this move far from symbolic. He believed it was essential to fill a gap. The goal was also to retain specialists Thuringia wanted to keep.
Up to this point, FHs had to collaborate with universities for doctoral programs. Schaft mentioned some FHs felt inferior in this cooperative arrangement.
Green Parliamentarian Olaf Müller revealed the Greens had pushed for doctoral degrees at FHs since 2009. "We would've given this authority to the FHs during the last legislative period had there been consensus on the Thuringian Higher Education Act's significant reform," Müller added.
Potential Doctoral Centers, Permanent Programs
Müller continued by saying the law allowed the creation of research-intensive hubs as 'doctoral centers.' These centers could be inter-university initiatives. Long term, FHs may receive permanent doctoral programs, pending evaluation.
Schaft highlighted how the change would enhance Thuringia's research hub. Previous cooperative doctoral programs haven't shown much success. With only 11 cooperative doctoral programs initiated in 2021 at Thuringian universities from the 991 total, "our decision was necessary and right."
Agenda Link: [Link]
