German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) in Weimar: Increasing the Role of Universities in Democracy Societies
The Annual German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), which will be held in Weimar on 28 April 2026, will be focussing on the role of universities in a democratic society. HRK President Prof. Walter Rosenthal will be welcoming the heads of universities from across Germany as well as a number of guests from the fields of science, education, and politics. The guest of honour for the event will be Thuringia’s Minister President Mario Voigt.
The HRK is the national association of state and state-recognised universities. This year’s meeting will be held on 27 and 28 April at the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar and the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, where committees will come together to discuss current issues in German and European higher education policy. The annual assembly is the highlight of the event and provides a forum for exchange between the political sphere and society.
Photo Gallery, Photos: Thomas Müller / Dana Höftmann
Minister President Mario Voigt emphasises the importance of universities as drivers of innovation and future development in his welcoming address. He states that the current transformation of the higher education landscape must be addressed with courage, transparent positioning, increased cooperation, and stable conditions set by the federal and state governments.
HRK President Prof. Walter Rosenthal calls for a dedicated effort to increase the roles of universities in a democratic society, which is currently facing numerous challenges. The federal and state governments now need to play their part by securing and structuring university funding and guaranteeing institutional autonomy. The goal is for universities to remain operational, even under pressure.
»Current developments around the world are showing us that we cannot take academic freedom and democracy for granted. Resilient universities are characterised by an ability to actively protect spaces for discourse, and to address conflicts rather than avoid or ignore them. Moreover, resilient universities remain steadfast in fulfilling their primary tasks for a free society: freedom of research, critical teaching, and open debate«, says Rosenthal.
A line must be drawn in cases where science-hostile or anti-democratic positions threaten the space for academic discourse, explains Rosenthal. The HRK President encourages all members of the academic community to take an active and vocal stance in support of the rule of law, democratic values, academic freedom, and university autonomy.
German Rectors’ Conference (HRK)
27 April 2026, 7:30 pm
Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
By invitation only
Further information:
https://www.hrk.de/