Rethinking the University

Interview Rethinking the University Discussion group (from left): Corinna Dahm-Brey, Matthias Echterhagen (both from the Press and Public Relations Office), Sabine Doering, Birger Kollmeier, Katharina Al-Shamery and Niko Paech. The University of Oldenburg celebrates its 40th Ms Al-Shamery, you came to Olden- Kollmeier: I can recall exactly what it exciting times in which the younger naturally had far more possibilities to anniversary this year. What makes this university burg as a physical chemistry lecturer was like when I started here. At 33 I was among us were handed responsibility actively organise research projects. But in 1999. What was it like when you first the youngest professor in the faculty very quickly. Things had been very diffe- for me there‘s another important point: special? What are the responsibilities of academics started here? when I came to Oldenburg in 1992. In rent for me in Bavaria. Here in Oldenburg what I really like is that at this university in general? How should education look in the future? Al-Shamery: I was immediately invol- Göttingen I had addressed all the stu- I suddenly had the chance to help mould you experience an interdisciplinarity And how can universities encourage students‘ thirst ved in discussions about projects that dents with „du“, while they used the the institute and its working conditions. that elsewhere you only hear about in were exciting and, above all, interdisci- formal „Sie“ with me. Then I came to I found myself among a strong and at pretty speeches. An interdisciplinarity for knowledge? An exchange of views between plinary. Biologists were having discus- Oldenburg and addressed everyone with first glance homogenous founder gene- that is constantly invoked by politicians Acting University President and chemistry professor sions with archaeologists, historians, „Sie“ and they all used „du“ with me. It ration that wavered between nostalgia, involved in university and science policy, Katharina Al-Shamery, literature professor Sabine philosophers and also chemists like my- was a bit of a culture shock. All in all those steadfastness and a wonderful sense of but seldom put into practice. self about things like patina on paintings first years weren‘t that easy for me, as the self-assurance. Doering, hearing researcher Birger Kollmeier and and sculptures. That was completely new youngest professor leading the largest Mr Kollmeier, you are seen as one of economic growth critic Niko Paech to me. And also the discussions about team of 16 people – plus all the equip- Mr Paech, you came to the university the university‘s scientific standard- teaching methodology were entirely ment and space we needed. But they from the city administration ... bearers. Among other things you are different here. At other universities tea- certainly had a major influence on me. Paech: That‘s right, I was the Agenda 21 in charge of the Hearing4all Cluster ching methodology was always sidelined representative in Oldenburg for three of Excellence. If you had to put it in a and ridiculed to a certain extent. Here it Ms Doering, did you experience a cul- years. Then I saw a call for applications, a few words, what is the driving force of was at the centre of things. I still value ture shock when you first came to the project of the Federal Ministry of Educa- your research? precisely this difference in the culture at Institute for German Studies in 2001? tion and Research that dealt with sus- Kollmeier: To advance basic knowledge Oldenburg University today – it makes it Doering: Yes, you could say that, in a tainability research for markets and cor- in the natural sciences. In the cluster we special. And it is also no doubt the reason positive sense. I particularly recall the porations. Naturally I already knew the are dedicated to researching the sense why many colleagues prefer to stay on sense of renewal that prevailed at the university, and it had a good reputation. of hearing, an extremely complicated here even when they are offered presti- institute and in the faculty at the time, I quickly realised that it wasn‘t just good system that we want to understand gious posts elsewhere. which also led to feelings of uncertainty. in sustainability research but also had better. And that can‘t happen without I had just turned 40, there was a handful a very high standing due to its open- constantly learning new things in an ab- Mr Kollmeier, what was your experi- of colleagues under 50, while the rest ness for problems relating to society as solutely interdisciplinary environment ence? were heading for retirement. Those were a whole. Later, after my habilitation, I like that here in Oldenburg. I comple- 16 EINBLICKE 2014 17 Prof. Dr. Katharina Al-Shamery Prof. Dr. Katharina Al-Shamery is Acting President of the University of Oldenburg. She is a professor of chemistry and Scientific Member of the Senate of the German Research Foundation (DFG). She is also a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. She has been awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for her achievements in science and research. From 2011 to 2014 she was a member of the independent committee „Ombudsman für die Wissenschaft“. and financial system, we really are on tegic thinking and are able to develop my positive impression of this university, the Titanic. Where are the alternative their own visions? Including, and abo- because not only am I tolerated here, but economic models? We need to reflect ve all, visions for our society‘s future. sometimes I even receive support. more on what changes are necessary to So we must oppose this short-sighted make a society more crisis-proof. And view and review our ideas about what In what way? interdisciplinary cooperation can create universities are. And the University of Paech: My colleagues often voice diffe- the perfect conditions for developing Oldenburg can make an important con- rent views to mine. But they do it within such resilience. tribution here. the context of their work and also of their Kollmeier: To stay with that image, I feel networks beyond the boundaries of their more like the professor in that cocktail Mr Paech, you have a reputation as own departments, while also allowing bar. Ultimately we have two currencies: an unconventional thinker. The ma- for different views. For us all, the general money and time. It is a question of effi- gazine „Die Zeit“ once described you principle applies that unconventional ciency, of how much time we can use for as a „radical growth critic“. How im- thinking must not divert attention from We all have in common that we strive to come closer to the truth“: The foyer in the auditorium building. procuring funding, as we‘re compelled to portant is it for you to be „unconven- the criteria for good research and good do in order to be able to carry out research tional“ and to adopt unconventional teaching. For me it‘s very important to under certain conditions. Therefore I positions in academia? also be skilled at what I do. don‘t see reducing everything to money Paech: It‘s clear that today anyone who Doering: I agree. Being unconventional tely agree with Mr Paech on that. And study the products of the arts if we want Paech: That‘s true, we economists also as so decisive. I don‘t get the impression argues against economic growth and is not a value in itself. As Mr Paech said, this is the core idea as I see it: studying to understand who we are and what ma- lack the time to develop creative and that our university is primarily driven by even claims to do so using scientific competence is primary. And I see it as a something from different perspectives jor questions we need to address. problem-oriented theoretical content money or external funding. And a per- arguments will be considered uncon- great strength of this university that we and thus gaining a better understanding because we‘re constantly in a hurry. We son‘s status certainly can‘t be measured ventional. But what interests me is the encourage independence in the face of of the underlying structure of the system Can you give an example? have to continually demonstrate how in terms of the allocation of external question of how one positions oneself as the disciplinary traditions. At the same considered. Doering: When in my work I deal inten- many projects we have and how much funding. an unconventional thinker within a net- time we must take care to ensure that sively with the literature and thinking of they‘re worth. This is, so to speak, a phy- work of fellow academics and also within certain unconventional topics aren‘t “Excellent research in the the period around 1800 – one of the most sical and at times distorted evaluati- “Forming their personalities a faculty. And in this respect I stand by carved in stone. Not all that was uncon- important phases in modern literature on procedure. A project is considered humanities is sometimes must play a major role.” and the history of ideas – I help people to unimportant because it was only alloca- Katharina Al-Shamery carried out without any understand how ways of thinking and ted 350,000 euros. Another project is external funding at all.” decisions developed, whose impact we deemed more important just because it Sabine Doering still feel today. And yet my main objective brought in double that amount. But the Al-Shamery: I find it difficult even to here is not the instrumentality of such primary question we have to ask is how see where universities are heading to- knowledge as such but the historical this society benefits from carrying out a day.

Load more