Theresia Bauer

Theresia Bauer, 2015

Theresia Bauer in the test setup of an electric vehicle, November 2011

Theresia Bauer (born April 6, 1965 in Zweibrücken / Pfalz ) is a German politician ( Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen ). She has been a member of the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg since June 2001 and represents the Heidelberg constituency . Since May 2011 she has been State Minister for Science, Research and the Arts .

education

From an early age, Theresia Bauer was involved in church youth work. After graduating from high school, she studied political science , economics and German in Mannheim and Heidelberg and graduated with a Magistra Artium . As a student she was active in university politics.

Private

Theresia Bauer is married, has two sons and lives in Heidelberg.

Professional activities

She worked professionally from 1993 to 1995 as a consultant for political education in the Society for Political Ecology . From 1995 until she moved into the state parliament in 2001, she was managing director of the Heinrich Böll Foundation Baden-Württemberg.

Political activity

As a member of the district executive of the Greens

Theresia Bauer has been a member of the Greens' district board in Heidelberg since 1999, and from 2003 to 2011 she was chairwoman of the Heidelberg district association.

As a member of the state parliament

She has been a member of the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg since June 2001 and was a member of the state board of the Greens in Baden-Württemberg until 2011 . From May 2002 to 2011 she was deputy chairperson of her group . Until 2011 she was a member of the committee for science, research and the arts as well as a member of the supervisory board of the Landesstiftung Baden-Württemberg foundation .

In the state elections in March 2011 , Theresia Bauer won the direct mandate in her constituency of Heidelberg for the first time with 36.7 percent.

As state minister for science, research and the arts

On May 12, 2011, she was sworn in as the new Minister for Science, Research and Art in the Kretschmann I cabinet.

As a minister, she abolished tuition fees , expanded study places in the bachelor's and master 's degree (expansion of the “ University 2012 ” program, “Master 2016” program) and reintroduced the student body in Baden-Württemberg (after its abolition in 1977). In contrast to some other federal states, Baden-Württemberg completely compensates for the higher education institutions' lost income due to the elimination of tuition fees. She worked on the amendment of the State University Act initiated by her in constant exchange with the universities and was therefore able to have it passed without a sound. Bauer has set up commissions that deal with reforming teacher training and strengthening sustainability in science.

In autumn 2012, a state party congress of the Baden-Württemberg Greens decided in favor of the line that Bauer was striving for, not including a civil clause in the state university law, taking into account the historical importance of freedom of research , and instead significantly increasing transparency in the area of third-party funding . On July 17, 2013, Bauer presented a concept according to which the music academies in Baden-Württemberg should save 4 million euros per year. This would have meant the cancellation of hundreds of university places and numerous courses and therefore met with broad criticism, whereupon Bauer abandoned their plans, but urged the conservatoires to develop a stronger profile and focus on the requirements of the job market.

In January 2015, the new university financing agreement, "Perspective 2020", which was largely negotiated by Bauer, was signed. As a result, the universities in Baden-Württemberg will receive 1.7 billion euros in additional funds from the state by 2020, some of which have been freed up by the fact that the federal government has fully taken over the BAföG financing. Of these, EUR 1.1 billion go directly to the basic funding. 600 million euros will be made available to increase the university building program. The new contract gives the universities significantly more planning security. Baden-Württemberg was the first federal state to follow the recommendation of the Science Council to increase the basic funding of universities by 3 percent per year.

In October 2016, she proposed the reintroduction of tuition fees for non-EU citizens and second students as a measure to consolidate the Baden-Württemberg budget. The proposal included tuition fees of 1500 euros per semester for non-EU citizens, 650 euros for second students and an increase in the administrative fee for all students by 10 euros for the winter semester 2017/18. The fees were decided in May 2017.

Cyber Valley Innovation Campus

In 2016, Bauer started the Cyber Valley initiative with partners from science and industry. It is one of the largest research collaborations for "Artificial Intelligence" in Europe. In a first step, the state and its partners are investing around 165 million euros in developing the CV.

Innovation Campus "Heidelberg 4 Life"

In spring 2018, Bauer campaigned for the construction of two research buildings on the innovation campus in Heidelberg . On the campus of the research network between Heidelberg University and the Max Planck Society , research is carried out on cells at the nano level. The campus was created on an initiative of Nobel Prize winner Stefan Hell and is supported by the state of Baden-Württemberg with 25 million.

Mobility concepts for emission-free campuses (Mobility Lab)

In September 2018, Bauer started the ideas competition “Mobility concepts for an emission-free campus” for the universities in Baden-Württemberg. The aim is to make the emission-free mobility concept an integral part of universities in the future. The initiative is embedded in the strategy dialogue Automobilwirtschaft BW, in which innovation potentials for the automotive industry are to be researched across industry boundaries. The state's Ministry of Science is providing a total of 3.15 million euros for this. The concepts of the Universities of Stuttgart and Hohenheim , the University of Biberach , the DHBW site in Stuttgart and the University of Technology in Stuttgart were awarded .

Namibia initiative of the state of Baden-Württemberg

Ceremony in Gibeon: Minister Theresia Bauer and Namibia's President Hage Geingob (Photo: MWK / Shawn van Eeden)

During a visit to Namibia in March 2019, Ms. Bauer presented the " Witbooi Bible and Whip" captured by German colonial troops in 1883 and announced further initiatives by the state of Baden-Württemberg to ensure that German-Namibian history is not forgotten and unified Let compensation take place. "We want to work through the common colonial history together and open a new chapter of cooperation today", were her words on February 27 in Windhoek. For this it should u. a. Give exchange programs and knowledge transfers as well as collaborations at university and archive level. New concepts for dealing with the common history of the colonies will also be new starting points. The aim of this project is to make the historical sources of the National Archives more accessible and to promote the exchange of knowledge between the colonies.

Awards

After 2013 and 2015, she was named Science Minister of the Year for the third time by the German University Association (DHV) in 2016. In 2014 she came in second after Federal Minister Johanna Wanka . In 2015, 2,480 (9.4%) of the 26,519 members of the DHV took part in the vote. Bauer was rated by 294 participants and received an overall grade of 2.85. In 2016 she received an overall grade of 2.62. Her willingness to enter into dialogue, political rationality and "in some cases even excellence" were certified.

Criticism of Theresia Bauer

Dealing with the allowance affair at the administrative college in Ludwigsburg

At the end of 2011, the former rector of the administrative college had illegally granted financial allowances to 17 professors. In four cases, a lawful basis for the allowance was found retrospectively. Because of the so-called protection of trust, the other 13 professors continued to receive the allowances. In this context, Theresia Bauer is accused of not having forwarded the matter to the public prosecutor's office or the audit office, and of not having given sufficient support to the subsequent rector Claudia Stöckle in the clean-up work. On January 19, 2017, the parliamentary groups of the SPD and FDP announced that they would set up a committee of inquiry. Since July 20, 2017, the committee of inquiry has also been dealing with matters relating to the salaries of professors at the University of Applied Sciences for Technology, Business and Design (HTWG) in Konstanz.

The Stuttgart Administrative Court has classified the removal of Rector Stöckle as unlawful. The reasoning for the judgment also states that the so-called Stratthaus Commission set up by Bauer was by no means free and independent in the view of the court. Rather, it was used by the Ministry of Science and directed accordingly to enable the initially failed replacement of Stöckle. This contradicts Bauer's presentation to parliament, university committees and the public. The opposition parties then applied for Minister Bauer to be dismissed, but this was rejected in the state parliament.

Tuition fees for non-EU students and second degree

In October 2016, Theresia Bauer announced that she wanted to introduce tuition fees for students from non-EU countries (international students) and second degree courses. The draft law presented in November 2016 stipulates that international students pay 1,500 euros in fees per semester. Of this, 300 euros are to go to the universities to improve the care of international students, the remaining fees will benefit the state budget. In addition, students in their second degree should pay 650 euros per semester; the administrative fee increases by 10 € to 70 € for all students.

The proposal met with broad criticism from organizations and associations: Among others, student representatives, the German Student Union , the parties SPD and FDP, trade unions ( GEW , DGB ), the Action Alliance against Tuition Fees ( ABS ), the Federal Association of Foreign Students ( BAS ), the fZS and the umbrella organization for development policy Baden-Württemberg eV (DEAB).

After the introduction of the tuition fees, a fifth fewer international students registered than in the previous year. Several students have sued the administrative court in Freiburg and Karlsruhe against the fees. In the 2018/19 winter semester, however, the number of international students rose again by 8.7%, according to the state statistical office.

Relationship to the composed student body

As Minister for Science, Art and Culture, Theresia Bauer reintroduced the student body in Baden-Württemberg. Student representatives, however, criticize the minister's dealings with student bodies: The representatives only found out from the press about the planned introduction of tuition fees for non-EU students and second degree students. This procedure is repeated with the planned deletions regarding the political mandate of the student body. The state student council sees this as a “gross breach of trust” and demands the resignation of the minister.

Offices and memberships

Supervisory board

Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University
Baden-Württemberg Foundation
Toto-Lotto GmbH
State agency, Leichtbau BW GmbH
State agency e-mobil GmbH BW
Center for European Economic Research GmbH
Baden-Württemberg International
IBA Heidelberg

membership

Senate of the Helmholtz Association
Board member of the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe
Board member of the Württemberg State Theater in Stuttgart
Board of Trustees of the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museum
Board of Trustees of the Technoseum Mannheim
Chairwoman of the Foundation Administration of the Carl Zeiss Foundation

Web links

Commons : Theresia Bauer - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Personal internet presence
Members of the Parliament of the Greens in the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg
Profile of a member of the Baden-Württemberg state parliament in the 16th electoral term
Theresia Bauer on parliamentwatch.de
Leonie Seifert: The model student . In: The time No. 9 of February 26, 2015 page 64 Opportunities

Individual evidence

↑ Die Ministerin , Website Ministry for Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Württemberg , accessed in June 2020

^ Theresia Bauer website of the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg , accessed in June 2020

^ The Greens in Baden-Württemberg Deutschlandfunk Kultur , February 17, 2016

^ ^A ^b ^c Leonie Seifert: Theresia Bauer: The model student. In: Die Zeit , March 15, 2015.

↑ Lecture on sustainability in science

↑ ^a ^b Bettina Wieselmann: Theresia Bauer in the RNZ interview: “We are one big step further”. In: Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung , November 18, 2014.

↑ "Perspective 2020" - billions of rain for universities. In: SWR Landesschau , January 9, 2015.

↑ Badische Zeitung: Non-EU citizens should pay for their studies in the southwest , October 7, 2016.

^ "Der Computerflüsterer" , Süddeutsche Zeitung, December 3, 2019

↑ "Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft joins Cyber Valley" , website Ministry for Science, Research and Art Baden-Württemberg, accessed in July 2020

↑ "Where the new comes into the world" , Mannheimer Morgen, March 10, 2018

↑ Kretschmann calls for more speed in the restructuring of the auto industry , Süddeutsche Zeitung, July 4, 2019

↑ “There's still room in the sky” , Deutschlandfunk , July 30, 2019

^ "Autonomous e-scooters and intelligent parking garages" , Stuttgarter Zeitung , October 6, 2019

↑ quote. Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Württemberg, February 27, 2019, accessed on February 18, 2020 (ger).

^ Andreas Fanizadeh: Delegation trip to Namibia: Restitution as an opportunity . In: The daily newspaper: taz . March 10, 2019, ISSN 0931-9085 ( taz.de [accessed April 30, 2019]).

↑ Baden-Württemberg International: The state's Namibia initiative started successfully. Retrieved February 18, 2020 .

^ Namibia initiative of the country. Retrieved February 20, 2020 .

↑ Dr. Thomas Krüger, Georg Rudinger: Rector and Minister of Science of the Year 2015 - Results of the DHV Ranking

^ "Science Minister of the Year": Theresia Bauer wins the title -. In: Stuttgarter Zeitung. Retrieved on February 16, 2016 (German).

^ Nils Mayer: Administrative College Ludwigsburg: Opposition wants to clarify the role of Bauer . In: Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Stuttgart, Germany . January 19, 2017 ( stuttgarter-nachrichten.de [accessed January 21, 2017]).

^ New trouble for the minister . In: Schwäbisches Tagblatt online . July 21, 2017 ( tagblatt.de [accessed July 28, 2017]).

^ Andreas Müller: Judgment on the civil service college in Ludwigsburg: court sees state parliament and committees deceived . In: Stuttgarter Zeitung, Stuttgart, Germany . August 29, 2018 ( stuttgarter-zeitung.de [accessed September 27, 2018]).

^ Andreas Müller: Minister of Science: Sword of Damocles . In: Stuttgarter Zeitung, Stuttgart, Germany . September 26, 2018 ( stuttgarter-zeitung.de [accessed September 27, 2018]).

↑ Draft law: Law amending the State University Fees Act and the Academies Act. (PDF) Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Württemberg, November 17, 2016, accessed on January 22, 2017 .

^ University of Hohenheim: Open letter to Theresia Bauer: Composed student body. Retrieved January 21, 2017 .

^ Opinion on the hearing draft of a law amending the State University Fees Act and the Academies Act in Baden-Württemberg | German student union. Retrieved January 22, 2017 .

↑ Maria Wetzel: Tuition fees in the southwest: Foreign students should pay . In: Stuttgarter Zeitung, Stuttgart, Germany . October 7, 2016 ( stuttgarter-zeitung.de [accessed January 22, 2017]).

^ GEW Baden-Württemberg: Tuition fees discriminate against foreign students . In: GEW Baden-Württemberg . January 13, 2017 ( gew-bw.de [accessed January 22, 2017]). Tuition fees discriminate against foreign students ( Memento from January 22, 2017 in the Internet Archive )

^ DGB Baden-Württemberg: DGB Baden-Württemberg | DGB rejects the reintroduction of tuition fees in principle. Retrieved January 22, 2017 .

↑ Action alliance against tuition fees: Statement of the action alliance against tuition fees (ABS) on the BW Tuition Fee Act of November 17, 2016: Action alliance against tuition fees. Retrieved January 22, 2017 .

↑ Press release: Cabinet resolution in Baden-Württemberg on tuition fees for foreign students | Federal Association of Foreign Students. Retrieved January 22, 2017 .

↑ fzs - free association of student bodies: fzs - no racist tuition fees! - free association of student bodies. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on January 22, 2017 ; accessed on January 22, 2017 .

↑ Uwe Kleinert: DEAB. Retrieved January 22, 2017 .

↑ Joseph Kelnberger: campus fee deters . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . December 5, 2017, ISSN 0174-4917 ( sueddeutsche.de [accessed September 27, 2018]).

↑ Thomas Wagner: 1500 euros per semester - lawsuit against tuition fees for non-EU foreigners . In: Deutschlandfunk . July 14, 2017 ( deutschlandfunk.de [accessed September 27, 2018]).

↑ Tuition fees for non-EU foreigners: Another lawsuit filed against Land . In: Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Stuttgart, Germany . October 16, 2017 ( stuttgarter-nachrichten.de [accessed September 27, 2018]).