On 21 April, the Berlin Senate approved the establishment of a university construction company, which will be responsible for financing and implementing renovation and construction projects, as well as managing buildings. Changes were made right up to the last minute, some of which took Berlin’s universities by surprise. The draft bill is now before the Berlin House of Representatives for debate and a vote.
At the hearing of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Science and Research on the Berlin University Construction Company Act (BHGG) on 4 May 2026, Prof. Dr Julia von Blumenthal, Chair of the State Conference of Rectors and Presidents (LKRP) and President of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Dr Julia Neuhaus, Vice-Chair of the LKRP and President of the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, emphasised that there was still a considerable need for clarification. Although Berlin’s universities had provided detailed comments on the draft bill, by no means all of their points had been incorporated into the draft legislation. Substantial progress had been made only on the issue of governance. On all other critical issues concerning the bandwidth model, funding or staff transfers, there had been no relevant progress. The statement in the explanatory memorandum to the bill that the construction company is intended to achieve a 15–30% reduction in floor space is entirely new. This had not been discussed with the universities at any stage, and it is unclear how such a reduction could be achieved without imposing serious restrictions on research, teaching and the necessary spaces for student work and student self-governance.
Julia von Blumenthal warned: “The construction company is a good idea for clearing the backlog of major refurbishments. It represents a systemic change that raises many questions to which the universities urgently expect answers. Until these are provided, we cannot endorse the draft bill. Fears are growing within the universities that the University Construction Company, in its currently planned form, will bring more disadvantages than advantages.” At the same time, it is clear that the current process cannot continue as it is. The renovation backlog at Berlin’s universities is a massive burden, and experiences with those currently in charge have been negative. The LKRP therefore wishes to submit a detailed written statement following the Senate’s decision. It must also be made clearer than before that the universities are regarded as partners on an equal footing.
Julia Neuhaus adds: “We would all like to see decisions made very quickly, as well as a law – but the law must be such that we can trust in its implementation.” Any outstanding issues that cannot be clarified in the law could be addressed in advance in a set of Statutes.