Harvard Predicament Labeled as 'High-Dramatics' by Education Minister Barbara Eq - Professor Bär characterizes the events unfolding at Harvard as "very theatrical" or "quite sensational."
German Minister Dorothee Bär labels Harvard situation 'highly dramatic'
German Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Dorothee Bär, has described the current situation at Harvard University as "highly dramatic" and is planning to discuss a European strategy to expand excellence in education during a meeting with her EU colleagues in Brussels on Friday.
Bär emphasized the importance of German universities maintaining their status as a beacon of excellence, especially if other continents fail to do so. She also highlighted an increase in inquiries from foreign teaching staff and students, noting that both the USA and countries such as China and India are offering support to German institutions, which would typically prefer to seek education in those countries.
In a recent move, the administration of US President Donald Trump banned the admission of foreign students at Harvard. The elite university near Boston lost this privilege, according to a letter from Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who cited Harvard's "refusal" to create a safe environment for Jewish students and the "racist" guidelines of its Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Harvard has deemed the government's action "unlawful" and described it as a "retaliatory measure." The university stressed the need to continue admitting international students and scientists, whose presence enriches the university and the country. Countries around the world provide more than 140 international students and scientists to Harvard, significantly enhancing the institution.
Bär's role in the recent expansion of Germany's Excellence Strategy, a venture aimed at strengthening Germany's position as a global leader in scientific research and higher education, remains unclear at this time. The Excellence Strategy, now in its second funding phase (beginning 2026), offers substantial annual funding to selected elite research clusters, with each eligible for €3–10 million per year over seven years. The goal is to promote top-level research, encourage cooperation between universities and research institutions, and boost the international competitiveness of German academia.
- The Commission, in light of Dorothee Bär's emphasis on the importance of excellent education, has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from carcinogens in the context of policy and legislation related to education-and-self-development and online-education.
- In the face of increasing war-and-conflicts disrupting general-news and learning, Bär's European strategy to expand excellence in education might also address the need to provide refuge and support for displaced students and scholars.
- Aware of the politics surrounding the admission of foreign students, as evidenced by the recent ban of foreign students at Harvard, Bär might propose a directive that ensures fair treatment and encourages inclusivity in policy-and-legislation to promote international cooperation.
- As a digital minister, Bär might advocate for online learning solutions to continue the education of students whose travel restrictions are caused by war-and-conflicts or policies imposed by governments, thereby ensuring uninterrupted education-and-self-development for all students.
