North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament, 18th legislative period: Draft bill of the state government. Law on the Strengthening of the University Landscape (University Strengthening Act), Publication 18/16798, November 25, 2025, https://www.landtag.nrw.de/home/dokumente/dokumentensuche/gesetzgebungsportal/aktuelle-gesetzgebungsverfahr/hochschulstarkungsgesetz.html.
The draft bill, which was initiated by the CDU-led Ministry of Science and referred to the Science Committee after its first reading on December 18, 2025, remains a threat to academic freedom and freedom of expression at universities in North Rhine-Westphalia, even after revision. On the surface it seems harmless: it aims to reduce shortage of skilled workers “through an attractiveness campaign for the higher education sector,” to reform lifelong learning at universities, to foster digitalization, to introduce quarter parity in senates as a standard model, – and to create “instruments to protect university members from assaults and hostility, discrimination, and the abuse of positions of power within the framework of university self-administration.”
Indeed, there is a pressing need to curb the abuse of power at universities. But this legitimate demand is being exploited to make it easier for the government to expel unwelcome students and sanction university faculty, staff, and leadership under the guise of protecting diversity at universities.
The addition of a “security right” and “integrity right” or “honesty right” (Redlichkeitsrecht) to disciplinary law in academia opens the door to exploitation for political purposes. Political exploitation is very likely if the new regulations and contact persons are designed and operate in such a way that academic freedom and freedom of expression are not prioritized. Science Minister Ina Brandes (CDU) openly stated in the state parliament’s science committee on January 21 that she was “extremely frustrated” that her hands had been tied in dealing with uncooperative university administrations such as that of the Düsseldorf Art Academy. Her hands might not be tied anymore with the amendment. It is imperative to recognize that the regulation excess of the new law, in those passages that do not concern abuse of power, is an attempt to interfere with university autonomy and academic freedom. Protection against abuse of power must be clearly separated from interference with fundamental freedoms.