"Best of the best of the best" - What's new in German higher education and science? #110817

In the 1997 movie “Men in black”, the recruiting officer for the secret government organization watching over aliens is telling possible recruits that the MIB are looking for “the best of the best of the best”.

Now it’s time for the Max-Planck-Society to do the very same, both in Germany and internationally. Because, after all, German universities can’t compete with Harvard, and the only one able to close this unbearable gap could be Max-Planck. So it seems just logical to build up “Max-Planck-Schools”. At least that’s what sarcastic critics say about the project.

Are they right?

It was 2015 when the President of the Max-Planck-Society, Martin Stratmann, first proposed to establish so called ‘Max-Planck-Schools’. The idea: Attract the best and most talented bachelor and master graduates to decentral German research institutions (on top of the already existing ‘International Max Planck Research Schools’). Therefore the Max-Planck-Society, the Universities and other extramural organizations want to cooperate and give former bachelor or master students the opportunity to join excellent science separated in different fields.

Although federal research minister, Johanna Wanka, claimed this project as a very good ‘basic idea’ the announcement was followed by an intense discussion about how to practically implement the idea of Max-Planck-Schools considering the interests of the Max-Planck-Society and the other involved parties (a detailed description of what happened in between can be found in the excellent blog of Jan Martian Wiarda: https://www.jmwiarda.de/2017/08/09/startschuss-mal-drei/). Now the parties finally came to an agreement and three Max-Planck-Schools will start in 2018. Even though there is no detailed information about the upcoming three schools available yet some general aspects are clear. According to available information the Max-Planck-Schools will start with a pilot project lasting five years. Every student of the Max-Planck-Schools will receive a full scholarship and every School shall accept 30 to 60 students per year. In contrast to regular universities the Schools will have no right to award students with doctoral degrees or other academic degrees – minister Wanka demanded this restriction already in the early stages of the development. To achieve research on the highest level the Schools will receive public subsidies – unclear in what specific amount, but according to minister Wanka it will be a sufficient amount, yet not one that makes students join the schools for financial motives.

Uncertainties remain: Especially the intended evaluation of the Max-Planck-Schools is unclear or not yet revealed transparently. Who evaluates the Max-Planck-Society? Who will be in the evaluation panel? And: What will be the criteria the evaluation is based on?

All in all the start of the Max-Planck-Schools offers a big chance for the German science society. It’s not certain that the Max-Planck-Schools will work out. It is certain that even they can’t compete with Harvard eventually. But from my point of view, they offer a chance, a new way of supporting young talented scientists. It’s up to the critics in German higher education to show better ways. Until they do so, it’s fine that the Max-Planck-Schools seek to recruit “the best of the best of the best”.