Germany fires undersecretary over probe into academic support for Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
17 Jun 2024 16:07
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Germany removes an undersecretary from her position after her launching an investigation into the possibility of cutting financial support for academics who support students protesting the Israeli war on Gaza.

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A woman is carried away by police officers during a pro-Palestinian demonstration by the group "Student Coalition Berlin" in the theater courtyard of the 'Freie Universität Berlin' university in Berlin, Germany, on May 7, 2024. (AP)

Germany's Education and Research Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger announced Sunday the dismissal of Sabina Doring, the undersecretary overseeing higher education after she initiated an investigation into whether financial support for academics advocating for students protesting the Israeli attacks on Gaza should be terminated.

Highlighting that launching an investigation to terminate financial backing for academics contradicts the principles of academic freedom, Watzinger said, "In May of this year, a group of university lecturers wrote an open letter regarding the protest camps at universities. This is a legitimate part of debate and freedom of thought. Having a different opinion is equally natural," she said.

Watzinger affirmed the unequivocal importance of academic freedom and its protection under constitutional law. "I defend academic freedom in all its aspects. Funding for science is based on scientific criteria, not political ideology. This is a fundamental principle of academic freedom," she said.

Earlier on Friday, over 2,000 German academics signed a letter calling for the resignation of Stark-Watzinger, criticizing her efforts to penalize scholars supporting pro-Palestinian students.

The scholars emphasized in a statement that "academics in Germany are experiencing an unprecedented attack on their fundamental rights, on the 75th anniversary of the Basic Law." They emphasized that Stark-Watzinger's recent actions have made her position "untenable".

"The withdrawal of funding ad personam based on political statements made by researchers is contrary to the Basic Law: teaching and research are free. The internal order to examine such political sanctions is a sign of constitutional ignorance and political abuse of power," the statement pointed out.

The scholars argued that this represents a growing divide between decision-makers in the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the academic community.