Forschung an deutschen Hochschulen – Veränderungen durch neue Governance-Modelle und den Exzellenzdiskurs

The autonomy of the universities and the associated strengthening of the university managements are intended to make them capable of acting and to differentiate the university landscape more strongly. The Excellence Initiative has supported this process. This study analyses the effects of these reforms on research at universities by comparing the assessments of university management and professors. Despite the reforms, universities remain characterised by a high degree of decentralisation and professional standards. The study sheds light on the instruments and measures for research coordination, the importance of third-party funding and the strategic significance of collaborations. It asks whether the reforms lead to more efficient and internationally competitive research and which institutional prerequisites are necessary for this. An international comparative chapter offers recommendations for the further development of the German higher education system. The study concludes with a summary and recommendations for science policy.