Petition is addressed to: Niedersächsischer Landtag

Translation of the open letter of the non-tenured faculty (Mittelbau) representatives of the Carl von
Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg to the state government of Lower Saxony regarding the amendment of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act

According to § 3 of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG, Niedersächsisches Hochschulgesetz), one of the tasks of universities is to take into account the “legitimate interests of their staff in good employment conditions, in particular in permanent employment and, in the case of fixed-term
employment, in the longest possible contract duration […]. The 2022-2027 coalition agreement also addresses good employment conditions and more permanent positions for permanent tasks:

„Permanent tasks should be staffed with permanent positions […]. We want a modern personnel structure that is appropriate for academic work. In addition to lifetime professorships, we want to create independent permanent positions in the mid-level faculty.“ (translation of the coalition agreement 2022-2027, p. 69)

For years, non-tenured academic staff (e.g. #IchBinHanna), the Federal Report on Early Career
Researchers and trade unions have been drawing attention to precarious employment conditions in
academia. [1] As a result, more and more academics in the early stages of their careers are thinking about leaving academia or are doing so. [2] The recurring points of criticism, which also apply to the University of Oldenburg and other universities in Lower Saxony [3], include:

• a high proportion of fixed-term contracts,
• short contract durations,
• low qualification rates,
• work intensification and loss of quality in research and teaching.

These problems were ignored in the last two amendments to the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act,
and no improvements were initiated. Good employment conditions at universities require more than
declarations of intent, they also require concrete legal regulations!

We therefore call for new regulations in §§ 31 and 32 of the NHG:

• Enshrine independent permanent positions for mid-level staff in the Higher Education Act!
• Realistic contract terms for academic qualifications!
• Increase the proportion of qualification work to 50% of work time for fixed-term qualification positions!
• Restrict LfbA positions to the teaching of practical skills!

There changes would not only improve the employment conditions of the non-tenured academic
staff, but they would simultaneously also strengthen Lower Saxony’s universities!

The complete open letter with all demands and detailed reasons can be found on the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg Staff Council website (in German and English) at: https://uol.de/personalrat/aktuelles/nhg-novellierung

[1] See Federal Report on Early Career Researchers (BuWin) 2021; Federal Report on Early Career Researchers (BuWiK) 2025; Statement by the DGB and member unions on the „Act to Strengthen Differentiated University Autonomy“ 2020; GEW statement on the „Act to Strengthen the Culture of Participation within Universities“ 2015; Statement by the Federal Government on the Federal Report on Early Career Researchers 2021, p. 15.
[2] See BuWiK 2025, p. 180.
[3] See e.g. the Open letter from the Philosophy Student Council of Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg from 20.12.2024 or the TAZ article „Ein Institut probt den Aufstand“ from 05.02.2025.