As a result of Germany’s General election in September, Chancellor-designate Angela Merkel of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) is holding coalition negotiations with the formerly governing Social Democrats (CDU). Dr. Annette Schavan (CDU) is likely to be the new Federal Minister of Education and Research. During the last ten years, Schavan, who is of rhenish-catholic origin, has been the Education Minister of the State of Baden-Württemberg. Other important posts held by Schavan include that of the Director of the catholic Cusanuswerk, a foundation for the highly qualified.

The exact brief of the new Ministry of Education is still unclear. The Minister-designate for Economic Affairs, Bavaria’s Edmund Stoiber, is claiming responsibility for some areas of technology and research, which were so far the responsibility of the Education Ministry. It will also be interesting to observe how the Federal Government and the states will cut up responsibility for education; for, when still in the opposition role, the CDU had tried to reduce federal education competencies close to zero. The extra funding intended to turn some of Germany’s higher education institutions into “elite universities” is likely to survive the transition unscathed. This extra funding was already agreed between the Conservatives and Social Democrats before the election.