Democracy. Diversity. Open-Mindedness.: Joint declaration of research institutions in Bremen

Due to current socio-political developments in Germany, we, as Bremen's scientific institutions, would like to make our values and convictions known to the public. We are shocked by the plans to displace people and the plans to dismantle democratic structures that have come to light and we stand firmly and united against them – no matter how small or large the group of those who hold such views may be.

As a hub of science, Bremen owes its strength and appeal to its various institutes and universities, where a diverse and international community of researchers and teaching staff from all over the world work together. It is precisely this diversity of our academics and students that greatly enriches the creative potential of our institutions and our daily work.

At Bremen's scientific institutions, we work together on topics and issues that address the pressing problems of our time – in the natural and technical sciences, humanities, cultural and social sciences, and artistic-scientific research fields. This can only succeed with an open-minded approach and an international culture of welcome. This is and remains a matter of course for us as Bremen's scientific community. With this in mind, we expressly distance ourselves from all forms of discrimination, exclusion, and xenophobia.

We stand for democracy, academic freedom, pluralism, and respectful interaction with one another at Bremen's academic institutions. Our employees and students have a variety of migration histories and it is their commitment that enables us to carry out our tasks in research, teaching, administration, and operations. Students also represent our future in all areas of society. Our employees and students are indispensable to us, and we want to be an attractive and stable employer for them as well as a vibrant place to study in a liberal-minded region. We are committed to this together – with this declaration and in our daily interactions and communication with each other.

The U Bremen Research Alliance:

The U Bremen Research Alliance brings together the University of Bremen and twelve institutes of non-university research that are funded by the federal and state governments and based in the state of Bremen. The alliance is characterized in particular by its multilateral strategic orientation and the strengthening of cooperation in research and administration and stands for major research topics that are addressed across institutions. The aim is to create the best conditions for free, innovative, creative, sustainable, and cooperative research.

The members of the U Bremen Research Alliance are:

University of Bremen; Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI); German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI Bremen site); German Aerospace Center – Institute of Space Systems; German Aerospace Center – Institute for the Protection of Maritime Infrastructures; German Maritime Museum (DSM) Leibniz Institute for Maritime History; Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM; Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES; Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS; Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS; Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT); Leibniz Institute for Materials Engineering – IWT; Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology

The Bremen State Rectors' Conference (LRK):

The universities in the state of Bremen, represented by their respective presidents (or rectors), form the Bremen State Rectors' Conference (Landesrektor:innenkonferenz Bremen - LRK). The task of the LRK is to represent the interests of the member universities in the field of education and science, in higher education policy, as well as in public, and to raise awareness of common concerns.

The members of the Bremen State Rectors' Conference are:

University of Bremen, Bremen University of Applied Sciences, Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, Bremen University of Public Administration, and University of the Arts Bremen. University of Bremen, Bremen University of Applied Sciences, Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, Bremen University of Public Administration, and University of the Arts Bremen.