GERMANY: Go-ahead for new grants scheme

A new national grants programme is to be introduced in Germany from the next summer semester. Some 10,000 students will be supported by the scheme in 2011-12 following approval by state governments.

The Deutschlandstipendium is an achievements-based grant providing eligible students with EUR300 (US$386) a month. On 2008 figures, 333,000 students already benefit from Germany's national BAFöG (Federal Student Support Act) programme, based half on a grant and half on a loan to be repaid when students enter a profession.

Originally, the Christian Democrat-Free Democrat coalition government had suggested that it shares half of the costs for the scheme with the state governments, with the other half being paid by industry or other sponsors. But state governments signalled that they were anxious not to be burdened with additional costs. However, agreement has been reached on the programme now that the coalition is paying the public-funded half of the grants in full.

"With the Deutschlandstipendium, we will be strengthening links between universities and their societal environment and laying the foundations for a culture of grants," Federal Education Minister Annette Schavan says. "But the federal government is going one step further and will also be paying universities for their efforts to acquire the funding."

Costs involved here include spending on staff to seek sponsors.

The level of additional funding for universities will be linked to the maximum number of students to be supported per year and corresponds to 7% of the funds an institution can acquire from private sponsors. The federal government will offer special training for staff involved in acquiring the funds as well as software for the necessary data.

"Grant-holders enjoying good salaries later on in life will wish to give back what they have received in terms of recognition and support from their universities and society," Schavan believes.

"This creates a living solidarity between generations of students and between the state and civil society."

The programme's original target of 160,000 students is to be reached by 2013.

The Deutschlandstipendium has been sharply criticised by opposition parties. Social Democrat spokesman for education Ernst Dieter Rossmann called it "unsuitable", while Kai Gehring, higher education spokesman for the Greens, said that Germany needed "more study places, better study conditions and fairer students support", adding that the BAFöG ought to be raised instead of spending money on special grants.

michael.gardner@uw-news.com