Dusseldorf Even if her department is not the focus of attention in times of crisis, Federal Research Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger is responsible for the major issues of our time: the future of the German education system.
Germany needs an “independent school, motivated teachers who can make their own decisions, who are not vicarious agents of bureaucrats, but learning companions,” she demands. Federalism is beneficial at this point, because each country has “a good view of what is necessary”. At the same time, Stark-Watzinger calls for the traffic light government’s cooperation requirement, i.e. increased cooperation between the federal and state governments, to be implemented more consistently, especially in the field of education.
Matthes and Stark-Watzinger also talk about the labor shortage, the qualifications in the working world of the future and the differences between German universities and those in the USA.
With regard to cooperation with non-democratic regimes like China, she says: As a partner, Germany is researching together with China in some areas, but “not in areas where the technology can be used for anything other than civilian possibilities”. She also explains to what extent Europe as a location still has a chance technologically in the interaction of forces with China. Germany should “look to China”, but “not as a defensive reaction” – but as a request to better network and strengthen the European Research Area.
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