The study program at the new technical university in Nuremberg is expected to start earlier than planned. The TUN is considered a prestige project by Prime Minister Markus Söder – and is also controversial.
At the planned Technical University of Nuremberg (TUN), students are expected to be able to complete their master’s program from the winter semester 2023/24. This was announced by the Bavarian cabinet.
The first online search offers and operations are expected to start in Nuremberg next year. The study was initially due to start in 2025. The cost of building the new facilities is currently estimated at 1.2 billion euros.
The prestige project, which is promoted by Nuremberg Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), is controversial in scientific circles. A similar facility is already located in Nuremberg with the Technical University; Friedrich Alexander University in Erlangen, a few kilometers away, is also concerned about overlaps in content.
View of the Friedrich Alexander Erlangen-Nuremberg University: The installation is skeptical about the opening of the Technical University of Nuremberg. She is concerned about content overlaps.
According to the state government, TUN will be the tenth state university in Bavaria. The concept mainly offers courses in English as well as strictly interdisciplinary courses aimed at connecting the humanities and natural sciences.
Critique of university politics
The Bavarian Greens criticized the state government’s higher education policy. It is encouraging that Nuremberg is strengthened in terms of higher education policy and that the new university can become a pioneer of digitization. “However, we are concerned that the 1.5 billion euros pledged for the renovation of FAU Erlangen are still pure castles in the air,” said a statement. In Bavarian universities there is a renovation backlog of five billion euros. “Not all lighthouses are of any use if ships break down everywhere else,” said Verena Osgyan, spokeswoman for the Greens in the state parliament.
Science Minister Bernd Sibler (CSU) stressed that one should do one thing and not leave the other. Important projects for the University of Erlangen have only been put forward in recent weeks. “The positive vote of the Scientific Council confirms that TUN is a model university for all of Germany,” said Sibler.
