Open letter

November 6, 2024

Make studying in Baden-Württemberg possible – ensure equal opportunities!

To the members of the Baden-Württemberg state parliament,

the 2025/26 state budget is on the final straight. Before the last window of opportunity for adequate funding of the Studierendenwerke closes, I would like to ask you urgently for your support on behalf of 24,000 students in the Mannheim university region (and 350,000 students in Baden-Württemberg).

While universities are active in teaching and research, we Studierendenwerke make studying possible with our social services (housing, cafeterias, daycare centers, social and psychotherapeutic counseling, BAföG) – especially at high-priced study locations such as Mannheim.

In order to ensure equal opportunities in the education system with our services, we Studierendenwerke are entitled to financial support from the state in accordance with the law. However, according to the MWK, this so-called financial aid will remain fixed at the 2020 level – despite inflation, cost increases and fee rises. A huge problem!

At Studierendenwerk Mannheim, we currently receive €1.55 million in financial aid per year (around 6.7% of annual income). Over the last few years, we have made considerable efforts in several cost-cutting rounds to reduce costs and keep the burden on students within reasonable limits. These include measures such as cooperation in purchasing, including across national borders, the closure of facilities, staff reductions and adjustments to the range of services. At the same time, prices in the areas of catering, accommodation, childcare and the student union fee have already been increased several times. However, due to the urgently needed increases in the TV-L, we at Mannheim Studierendenwerk will have to shoulder around EUR 1 million more in personnel costs next year alone. Without an increase in financial aid, we will have to pass on these and other cost increases 1:1 to the students – as we have already done in recent years. I now see the educational location increasingly at risk.

In his speech introducing the state budget, Finance Minister Dr. Danyal Bayaz rightly emphasized: “Investments in education are a building block for strengthening our business location.” He also underlined the importance of universities and colleges: “They are the place where innovations and future technologies are created and skilled workers are trained.” But it is only with our services that students can focus on successfully completing their studies in order to become urgently needed specialists here in Baden-Württemberg after their education.

The universities tell us that they are competing for the best minds. However, in addition to optimal teaching and research conditions, we hear that the cost of living is also increasingly playing a role in the choice of university. By increasing the financial aid for the Studierendenwerke, you can ensure that we in Baden-Württemberg do not fall behind other states due to the cost of living.

Throughout the pandemic, students have already been “forgotten” once. Please help to ensure that our young academics are not disadvantaged again by being burdened with additional price increases – which will be unavoidable with a zero round of financial aid.

We therefore ask you to promote the students’ concerns in your committees and in the parliamentary budget deliberations and to support an increase in financial aid. Due to rising personnel costs alone, the eight Studierendenwerke in Baden-Württemberg will need around 12 million euros more per year from 2025.

I would be happy to discuss this important topic with you.

With kind regards
Peter Pahle
Managing Director