Open letter on the coalition agreement between the SPD and Die Grünen

28 April 2025

Dear representatives and grassroots members of the SPD Hamburg and the Greens Hamburg,

In the past, many arguments in favor of appropriate studies have been rejected on the grounds that there is not enough money for them. This pressure is often self-created, as people have shied away from a fairer tax policy. The debt brake adopted at federal level has even increased the pressure to act. Even when “special funds” were decided at federal level, social aspects such as education were neglected. This now also seems to be the case in Hamburg. Instead of aiming for significant improvements, the government is proclaiming that things will continue as they are.

When the coalition agreement talks about “our six state and private universities”, this is a bad omen, as four of the ten state universities have obviously been completely forgotten. Perhaps higher education is simply not seen as relevant if, like the Hamburg Vocational College, it belongs to the education authority or, like the North German Academy for

Finance and Tax Law Hamburg are subordinate to the tax authorities. To ensure that students are not forgotten, we would like to express some criticism and demands here, which we will continue to advocate during the rest of the legislative period. We expect the same from you.

Housing is a human right - also for students

The SPD and the Greens recognize the need for socially acceptable student housing. We welcome the interim goal of creating 3,000 new student residences by 2030 (2,000 of which were already planned). However, anyone familiar with the time horizons for new construction projects knows that several years will pass between finding suitable sites, planning and authorization and construction itself. That is why there must be a concrete plan immediately, strongly supported by the city, so that this promise is not broken. Significant financial subsidies will also be necessary, as the Studierendenwerk will not be able to finance this expansion at affordable rents itself or with loans as usual. However, the plans for 2030 must not stop there. In order to achieve the ambitious target of dormitory places for 15% of students (18,000 places), plans up to 2035 and 2040 are needed now in order to anticipate the multi-year construction processes.

Affordable canteens need clear goals!

There is no concrete commitment to continue funding or even increase the subsidy to the Studierendenwerk. The increase in the Studierendenwerk's financial subsidy from 2024, which was mainly financed by student contributions, still does not meet existing needs. There is an urgent need for more funding and concrete targets for low contribution levels and canteen prices. Unfortunately, these are not included in the coalition agreement, although they were called for in the programs of both parties - a clear sign of regression in times of rising rents and inflation. Is this a case of negotiating each other or themselves down?

BAföG - “The decision to study should not depend on your parents' wallets.”

The BAföG does mention a flat-rate housing allowance and age limits - but only with a cautious reference to the federal government. The Hamburg government must not simply rely on the federal government's plans to adjust BAföG in 2027 and 2028. The plan for the flat-rate housing allowance is also inadequate, as at €440 it is already well below the usual rent of €620 for a room in a shared flat in Hamburg. The financial situation of students is already precarious and cannot be accepted for another two and a half years - especially in view of further inflation-related increases in living costs. There needs to be a clear political will to push for change immediately and at an appropriate level. This also includes a commitment to an important parent-independent or even repayment-free BAföG, as called for in the election campaign, but of which there is no trace in the coalition agreement.

Tuition fees must also be considered in the question of student financing. However, when the SPD and the Greens rightly speak out against them, they forget the costs of semester fees, which are practically identical, especially in the form of administrative fees.

administrative fees are practically identical. This means that the financing of universities is once again being passed on to students.

Free education tickets for school pupils, trainees and students

“The trainee ticket, semester ticket and social discount will be continued and will not see any price increases that go beyond the adjustments to the Deutschlandticket”. That sounds positive at first. But the first increase, which will affect students in October, will not be counteracted. A look at the coalition agreement that the SPD and CDU/CSU have presented to the federal government also briefly gives cause for optimism, as the Deutschlandticket is to remain in place beyond 2025. However, price stability is only guaranteed until 2028. After that

price increases are to be expected, which will then also be transferred to the

Germany Semester Ticket, 60% of whose price is linked to the Germany Ticket. We are delighted that the free student ticket has met with such great demand. However, particularly in view of the federal government's coalition agreement, we believe that the Hamburg government has a responsibility to extend the free ticket to at least trainees and students.

No half measures! Consistently for a TV Stud!

“Including student employees nationwide in the collective agreement of the federal states” is a fundamentally welcome statement for the improvement of working conditions, which the city and in particular TdL chairman and Hamburg Senator for Finance Andreas Dressel must be measured against in the next collective bargaining round of the federal states! Instead of political commitments, we need a pledge that Hamburg will vote in favor of collective bargaining for student employees in the employers' association. And it needs the willingness to conclude a collective agreement at state level in the event of a blockade by the employers' association.

What is missing is the promise to stand up for the co-determination rights of student employees. The renewed commitment to the “City of Good Work” is intended to support the establishment of new staff councils. We expect the city to set a good example here by establishing independent staff councils for student employees at all Hamburg universities and submitting a corresponding amendment to the law.

Hamburg's universities remain underfunded despite investment in construction

There is a massive need for construction and renovation at the various universities, which must be addressed. We welcome the more than €6 billion planned for building infrastructure and the promise of high standards of sustainability. We are calling for swift implementation so that students in Hamburg no longer have to study on building sites. We will continue to critically monitor the implementation of this and remind the parties of their promises.

However, where construction financing is being strengthened, more and more problems are becoming apparent in ongoing financing. Some universities have had drastic problems for some time,

others are just now entering the crisis. We are already regularly seeing how vacancies are being filled, courses or entire degree programs are being cancelled and, above all, digital media in libraries are being cut back. Young academics and students in particular are suffering as a result, both of which are essential in order to meet the standards of excellence. It is quite clear that the “reliable” basic funding is lagging behind inflation and the additional requirements, e.g. for IT security. This leaves no room for the high-quality study programs and strong research that would be possible with adequate funding.

Reappraisal and diversity must be promoted and not undermined!

Hamburg was Germany's colonial metropolis and therefore bears great responsibility for coming to terms with this history. A central contribution to this is made by the

project network “Forschungsstelle Hamburgs (Post-)Koloniales Erbe/Hamburg und die frühe Globalisierung”. The election promises to strengthen and further develop this project with €150,000 are in fact a cutback. With the accompanying loss of independence, the research area is threatened with further cuts. The research center is no longer mentioned at all in the coalition agreement.

The centralization and financial pressure has a similar effect on the “Central Library for Women's Studies, Gender and Queer Studies”, for example. It is threatened with dissolution and its holdings with dispersal and storage. The associated “Gender & Diversity” center is thus not being supported, as promised by the SPD and the Greens, but actively damaged. These places and projects must be protected and promoted if the city is to live up to its claim of being a diverse city that learns from its history.

No turning a blind eye to discrimination and educational injustice!

In the chapter “Science and Research”, FLINTA*, queer, BIPOC, disabled and working-class children funding is only mentioned extremely briefly by the coalition partners. The lack of study programs for gender studies in Hamburg is completely concealed. The demand for anti-Semitism officers at universities is mentioned just as little as the closure of the library of the Institute for the History of German Jews. Furthermore, there is no mention of how the barrier-free expansion of the inclusive university(ies) is to be implemented. The planned state anti-discrimination law can be a significant step towards improvements if it is implemented well. Those affected must be heard and the large existing gaps urgently closed.

Nothing is being done about the continued possibility of de-registration due to undesirable political “misconduct”. Instead, the door is being opened to tests of conviction by means of regular inquiries to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which can be tantamount to bans on teaching students, for example, as recently seen in Bavaria. There is no plan in the coalition agreement to protect against this potential political discrimination. The coalition partners are not addressing the long-term fight against discrimination at German universities - even in view of the massive increase in discrimination figures and the success of the AfD in 2025.

Internationalization comes from accessibility, not marketing

The parties want to support the introduction of English-language Bachelor's degree courses and dual study programs, but must also release the necessary funds for this, as outlined above. The plans to use marketing as a concrete measure to promote internationalization completely miss the underlying problems. Instead, the support and continuation of funding programs such as #UHHhilft and the removal of residence law hurdles would help international students in concrete terms.

A C1 level of German is required at the beginning of their studies, but a visa for language acquisition and study preparation is only granted with proof of funding of €11,208 per year. Visas for the purpose of training are generally only sufficient for residence status qualification with an additional part-time job, as the training salary is still below the minimum wage level. Work visas are only valid for qualified employment, which even

which even students with a German passport cannot easily provide directly after completing their vocational qualification. Here, too, the promised commitment of the SPD and the Greens at federal level must be substantiated if it is not to remain an empty promise. Furthermore, the prevention of upcoming exmatriculations of students without a German passport according to the federal government's current plans is not mentioned at all.

A clear commitment to civil research is needed!

The coalition partners' once again cautious and vague commitment to supporting peace and security research is a first small step, but is insufficient on its own. At federal level, the facilitation of dual-use research and civil-military research cooperation sought by the SPD and CDU/CSU runs counter to the principle of civilian research. In future, third-party federal funding could be made available primarily for research with military benefits. The SPD and the Greens are not taking their responsibility seriously,

to protect researchers from militaristic appropriation and thus the

freedom of science. Clear commitments and active work at federal level are needed to protect civilian research.

The distribution of portfolios

Probably the biggest surprise from the coalition talks is the new allocation of departments. We have always critically monitored the work of the Ministry of Science, Research, Equal Opportunities and Districts and Senator Katharina Fegebank. The exchange was, when necessary, contentious and, when possible, also very constructive. We have high expectations of the likely future Senator for Science, Research and Equal Opportunities Maryam Blumenthal, which we will vociferously advocate. In order to further strengthen students, universities and science, we hope to meet for an initial discussion in the near future.