ResiGov: Resiliente Hochschulgovernance im Angesicht von Angriffen auf die Wissenschaftsfreiheit. Handlungsoptionen aus einem internationalen Vergleich

Angriffe auf die Wissenschaftsfreiheit nehmen weltweit zu und erfolgen mit unterschiedlichen Zielsetzungen und durch unterschiedliche Akteure. Doch Hochschulen und ihrem Leitungspersonal fehlen empiriegestützte Handlungsoptionen, die Gegenmaßnahmen oder strategische Vorbereitungen auf solche Angriffe anleiten könnten. ResiGov erarbeitet solche Handlungsoptionen. Dazu werden eine international ausgerichtete Quellenanalyse sowie leitfadengestützte Interviews mit Betroffenen durchgeführt. ResiGov entwickelt unter anderem eine bisher fehlende Typologie der verschiedenen Angriffsarten und analysiert Angriffe international vergleichend, woraus Handlungsoptionen abgeleitet werden, die für deutsche Hochschulleitungen und wissenschaftspolitische Entscheidungsträger.innen zielführend umsetzbar sind.

Das Forschungsprojekt ResiGov wird vom Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR) im Rahmen des Schwerpunkts Wissenschafts- und Hochschulforschung (WiHo) gefördert.

English version

ResiGov: Resilient HEI Governance in the Face of Attacks on Academic Freedom. Options for Action based on an International Comparison

Attacks on academic freedom are increasing all over the world and are carried out with different objectives as well as by different actors. However, higher education institutions (HEIs) and their staff so far lack empirically supported options for action that could guide countermeasures or strategic preparations for such attacks. ResiGov develops such options. To this end, we carry out an international source analysis of attacks and countermeasures, and elaborate a typology of the various types of attacks, which is lacking so far. This is followed by guided interviews with those affected in representative cases. We compare attacks and counter-measures on an international scale, from which we derive options for action that can be implemented in a targeted manner by German HEI (leadership) staff and decision-makers as well as other stakeholders in the area of HEI policy.

The ResiGov-research project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) as part of its Focus Programme „Wissenschafts- und Hochschulforschung (WiHo)“ (Science and Higher Education Research).

 

Online Expert Workshop, 31 July 2025

On 31 July 2025, the ResiGov-team hosted the first international expert workshop as part of our research project. The experts will provide support and advice throughout the project’s duration. Prof. Aráuz Torres (Universidad Americana, Managua, Nicaragua), Prof. Andrew Ryder (Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem, Budapest, Hungary) and Dr. Janika Spannagel (Freie Universität Berlin, Germany) participated in the digital discussion; two other members of the expert panel were unable to attend.
During the two-hour workshop, the experts discussed the objectives, methods, timeline and next steps of the ResiGov-project. In addition, the concept of academic freedom, which is central to ResiGov, was explored in its different dimensions from an international perspective.
The ResiGov-team received valuable input from the participants about the research project’s concept and its possible developments. We are especially grateful that all participants are interested in continued cooperation.

 

 

Second Online Expert Workshop, 23 July 2026

On 23 July 2026 we had the pleasure to host our second international expert workshop. After welcoming new members of our expert panel, we received feedback on the progress made in ResiGov and then discussed a categorisation of different types of threats on academic freedom which we created along optimised comprehensibility for HEI leaders.

Additionally, we briefed the members of the expert panel about the upcoming interviews phase and received valuable comments on our focus countries and first contact points for the interviews.

The whole ResiGov-team would like to thank all current members of our advisory panel: Profs. Aráuz Torres, Aníbal Ríos Monterrey and Rafael Lucio Gil (all: Universidad Americana, Managua, Nicaragua), Prof. Juliano Z. Benvindo (Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brasil), Dr. César Guzmán Tovar (Universidad Nacional Autónoma, Mérida, Mexico), Assoc. Prof. Olga Selin Hünler (Çidam Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Türkiye), Prof. Peter Maassen (Universitetet i Oslo, Oslo, Norway), Prof. Andrew Ryder (Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem, Budapest, Hungary) and Dr. Janika Spannagel (Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Präsentationen & Tagungsbeiträge

Andreas Beer (2026): Präsentation und Diskussion des Forschungsprojekts, Lunch Talk des Bundesministeriums für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt, 13.3.2026, online.

Andreas Beer (2025): Vortrag „Contestations of Academic Freedom – A Systematic Analysis“, Consortium of Higher Education Researchers, 37th Annual Conference, Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza, Poznán, Polen

Andreas Beer (2025): Vortrag „Eine systematische Analyse von Angriffen auf Wissenschaftsfreiheit“, Gesellschaft für Hochschulforschung (GfHf), 20. Jahrestagung, Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg, Heilbronn, Germany