Brandenburg's universities and research institutions publish joint statement in Brandenburg; safeguard independence amid crises

Brandenburg’s universities and research institutions publish joint statement in Brandenburg; safeguard independence amid crises

Scientific community Brandenburg publishes joint statement - MHB University

Scientific community Brandenburg publishes joint statement

Brandenburg’s scientific community sends a collective signal to preserve freedom, independence and resilience of science. Universities, extra-university research facilities and other stakeholders with close links to science underline their social responsibility and commitment to liberal democracy in a joint statement entitled “Freie Wissenschaft stärkt Brandenburg”.

Initiated by the association proWissen Potsdam, the statement was drafted subsequent to a conference of the Brandenburg Ministry for Science, Research and Culture on resilience of science in July 2026. It proclaims the key importance of scientific institutions for development in Brandenburg and calls for reliable framework conditions to safeguard scientific independence and capacity to act even in times of crisis.

Joint Statement on the Freedom and Resilience of Science

Science in Brandenburg stands for social responsibility. This includes not only research and the education of students, but also the transfer of knowledge to society, the economy, politics, and culture. Together, universities, non-university research institutions, and other science-related organizations make essential contributions to the development of Brandenburg. The state’s impressive success story over the past decade would hardly have been possible without the strength of its scientific institutions. Science thrives on transparency and a willingness to accept criticism. At the heart of scientific work is the continuous process of reviewing and correcting one’s own findings. This very approach makes science both effective and vulnerable - particularly when political interference, disinformation, economic dependencies, or deliberate attacks on individuals and institutions increase. That is precisely why science needs reliable framework conditions that protect its independence and ensure its ability to act. These include support structures for employees and researchers, digital and organizational security, and stable infrastructure. Clear procedures for dealing with crises are also essential, as is a public culture that does not delegitimize scientific work but instead strengthens and recognizes it. The leaders of Brandenburg’s universities and research institutions see themselves as pillars of liberal democracy. They stand together in solidarity whenever the freedom of science, as enshrined in Germany’s Basic Law, comes under attack. This explicitly includes the implementation of diversity, equal opportunities, and gender equality. The State of Brandenburg, its universities and non-university research institutions, funding organizations, and science policy partners are working together to strengthen their resilience. The goal must be to ensure that science can continue to operate freely, courageously, openly, and responsibly even under pressure. Only in this way can it serve the public good in the long term and on a sustainable basis. And this is the standard by which we, the undersigned, want to be measured.

First signatories: • Aubel, Noosha – chief executive

proWissen • Aust, Roland – chancellor

Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF • Barsuhn, Prof. Dr. Michael – president

ESAB Fachhochschule für Sport und Management Potsdam (FHSMP) • Barth, Prof. Dr. Matthias – president

Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde • Behrens, Ulrike – board of trustees (for DESY Zeuthen)

proWissen • Brämick, Dr. Uwe – scientific director and chief executive

Institut für Binnenfischerei e.V. Potsdam-Sacrow • Bodensiek, Kirstin – administrative executive

Max-Delbrück-Centrum für Molekulare Medizin in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft • Buiter, Prof. Dr. Susanne – scientific director

GeoForschungsZentrum GFZ (board of trustees

proWissen) • Conrad, Dr. Franziska – UP Transfer GmbH (board of trustees proWissen) • Diekmann, Prof. Dr. Bernhard – head of research unit

Alfred-Wegener-Institut in Potsdam (board member

proWissen) • Doepner, Mareike – board of trustees (for Potsdam)

proWissen • Dziewas, Prof. Dr. Ralf – vice rector

Theologische Hochschule Elstal • Engel, Dr. Silke – Spokesperson

Universität Potsdam (board of trustees

proWissen) • Esser, Prof. Dr. Günter – director

Akademie für Psychotherapie und Interventionsforschung an der Universität Potsdam • Fraenkel, Prof. Dr. Carlos – director

Einstein Forum • Fratzl, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Peter – director

Max Planck Institut für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung, Potsdam-Golm • Franzen, Nico – managing director

ProPotsdam Naturerlebnis GmbH • Friederich, Götz Th. – lawyer, LL.M. (Univ. Edinb.) • Friedrich, Prof. Dr. Tobias – dean and managing director

Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering gGmbH (HPI) • Fuchs, Prof. Dr. Doris – scientific director

Forschungsinstitut für Nachhaltigkeit (RIFS) | am GFZ • Fürst, Dr. Michael, director

Filmmuseum Potsdam • Grande, Prof. Dr. Gesine – president

Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) • Günther, Prof. Oliver – PhD – president

proWissen) • Grune, Prof. Tilman – scientific director

Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung Potsdam-Rehbrücke • Glauert, Prof. Dr. Mario – director

Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv • Hadlich, Wolfgang – managing director

UP Transfer GmbH (board member

proWissen) • Hörstrup, Dr. Bettina – administrative director

Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung e.V. (PIK) • Ihle, Wolfgang – managing director

Akademie für Psychotherapie und Interventionsforschung an der Universität Potsdam • Jakobs, Jann – honorary chairman

proWissen • Janz, Prof. Dr. Norbert – MR LRH Brandenburg

apl. Prof. Universität Potsdam • Kahmen, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gerhard – scientific director

IHP – Leibniz Institut für innovative Mikroelektronik • Köhler, Prof. Dr. Claudia – managing director

MPI MP • Köhler, Holger – chair

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Freier Schulen im Land Brandenburg e.V. (AGFS) • Leinkauf, Dr. Simone – managing director

proWissen • Leinkauf, Prof. Dr. em. Thomas, Universität Münster, (Florenz-Berlin) • Matuschka, Agnes von – managing director

Standortmanagement Golm GmbH (board of trustees

proWissen) • Melzer, Katja – managing director

Brandenburgische Gesellschaft für Kultur und Geschichte gGmbH • Metzler, Prof. Dr. Gabriele – director

Leibniz-Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung • Mühle, Prof. Dr. Eduard – president

Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) • Ordon, Prof. Dr. Frank – Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Bundesforschungsinstitut für Kulturpflanzen • Perscheid, Dr. Michael – VP Applied Research & Standortvertreter, SAP Innovation Center Potsdam • Pulvermacher, Vicky – board of trustees (for IHK)

proWissen Potsdam e.V. • Randig, Markus – administrative vice director

Leibniz-Institut für Gartenbauwissenschaften (IGZ) • Reiff-Stephan, Prof. Hon.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg – director

„net4ai“ & head of research group iC3@SmartProduction TH Wildau • Rockström, Prof. Dr. Johan – scientific director

Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung e.V. (PIK) • Rosenbach, Wolfram –administrative board member

Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP) • Rürup, Prof. Dr. Miriam – director

Moses Mendelssohn Zentrum für europäisch-jüdische Studien in Potsdam • Schröder-Smeibidl, Dr. Birgit – administrative board member

Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung Potsdam-Rehbrücke • Schmitt-Rodermund, Prof. Dr. Eva – president

FH Potsdam (board of trustees

proWissen) • Schultz, Maria – director

Stiftung Gedenkstätte Lindenstraße in Potsdam • Simon, Prof. Dr. Hans-Uwe – president

Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg (MHB) • Seeberger, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.h. Peter H. – managing director

MPI KGF • Seifert, Dirk – managing director

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Freier Schulen im Land Brandenburg e.V. (AGFS) • Steinmetz, Prof. Matthias – scientific director

Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP) • Steller, Dr. Thomas – director

Potsdam Museum – Forum für Kunst und Geschichte • Stitt, Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h. c. Mark – board of trustees (for MPI MP)

proWissen • Sturm, Prof. Dr. Barbara – scientific director

Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V. (ATB) • Stürmer, Prof. Dr. Susanne – president

Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF • Trilcke, Prof. Dr. Peer – management

Theodor-Fontane-Archiv | Universität Potsdam • Tippe, Prof. Dr. Ulrike – president

Technische Hochschule Wildau • Van Dam, Prof. Dr. Nicole – scientific director

Leibniz-Institut für Gartenbauwissenschaften (IGZ) • Vorpahl, Dr. Daniel – Neues Potsdamer Toleranzedikt e.V. • Vogel, OKR Martin – EKBO commissioner for federal states • Vogtherr, Martin, Prof. Dr. Christoph – general director

Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg • Weiß, Christopher – managing partner

Glockenweiß GmbH • Wetzel, Daniel – Agentur Medienlabor • Wilms, Prof. Dr. Andreas – president

Technischen Hochschule Brandenburg • Woithe, Hendrik – chancellor

Universität Potsdam • Zabel, Thomas – managing director

Kongresshotel Potsdam • Zielinski, Prof. Dr. Oliver – scientific director

Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon See an episode in our podcast series, same title, with Nicole Friedlein, research assistant

Lehrstuhl für Öffentliches Recht, Universität Potsdam, and Dr. Volker Rachold, director

Deutsches Arktisbüro at AWI. Podcast. Contact for Questions proWissen Potsdam e.V. Dr. Simone Leinkauf, executive board Phone: (0331) 977 4588 E-Mail: leinkauf@prowissen-potsdam.de