Students in Kiel: Protest against expensive administration fees begins!

Students in Kiel: Protest against expensive administration fees begins!

There are rumblings at the universities in Schleswig-Holstein: students are protesting against the planned introduction of an administration fee of 60 euros per semester. Numerous young people gathered at the Audimax of Kiel University to vent their dissatisfaction. Access to education could become more difficult again due to rising costs, report sat1regional.de. The situation is viewed particularly critically by the State Asten Conference, which points out that semester fees have already increased in recent years.

With support from the education union GEW and the university leadership, the demonstrators are demanding sufficient university funding from the state. The co-chair of the GEW, Franziska Hense, emphasizes that the funds provided will not be sufficient until 2029. This could have fatal consequences: universities warn that the available financial resources could lead to courses, many jobs and the quality of teaching being jeopardized.

The reality of student financing

What is behind the financial burden that many students feel? Since 2014 there are no longer any fixed tuition fees in Germany. Instead, the semester contributions are made up of various components. This includes an administration fee that ranges between 0 and 80 euros, as well as fees for the student union and the semester ticket. The total amounts vary depending on the university and amount to around 170 to 430 euros per semester, explains mystipendium.de.

But teachers and students feel increasingly under pressure, not only from higher living costs, but also from high rental prices. Veronika Grimm, an economist, is in favor of reintroducing tuition fees. She believes the funds should be invested in early childhood education and primary schools, which is supported by the higher education group RCDS. This requires a subsequent tuition fee, which should be paid depending on your future salary. Critics, however, warn against shifting the financial burden onto students.

A worrying development

The potential for devastating effects on the study landscape is great. An increase in semester fees could make studying less attractive for lower-income students, which in turn could drive universities into a vicious circle: fewer students mean lower income from tuition fees. German financing options are currently not performing well in an international comparison either. In many other countries, students have to pay significantly more.

The students from Schleswig-Holstein have clearly formulated the concerns that concern them: They are finally calling for a rethinking of politics and robust, sustainable university financing. In view of current developments, it is essential that those responsible do not lose sight of the financing of education and take the needs of students seriously.