Berlin's Senator for Education, Science, and Research Prof. Dr. Jürgen Zöllner started the first of the Hertie School's Berlin Lecture series.
"We are doing quite well." A Vision for Berlin's Scholarship Landscape 2020
The Berlin Lecture is a series of events hosted by the Hertie School in cooperation with the Berlin Senate. Once a year, representatives from Berlin's political and cultural scenes speak on themes relevant for the city. Alternately, internationally-known guests speak about the challenges facing modern metropolises. Guest lecturer at the first Berlin Lecture was Prof. Dr. Jürgen Zöllner, Senator for Education, Science, and Research, who presented his "Vision for Berlin's Scholarship Landscape 2020".
According to Zöllner, Berlin shouldn't be "euphemistic, but self-critical" when talking about the current situation of the city's education system in 2009. Although the city can regard itself as one of the foremost hubs of German academic life, the challenges facing Berlin on an international level are manifold.
Zöllner appealed for a combination of public monies and private funds to contribute to the financing of institutions of higher learning: The sum should partially consist of tuition fees, in addition to the engagement of contract research and private foundations.
Modern-day scholarship needs to face the major challenges of today, which, according to Senator Zöllner, are globalisation, demographic change, and environmental problems. To face these challenges, we need appropriate monies, incentive structures for science, and organisational structures, so that autonomous scholarship is guaranteed.