Senate adopts amendment to the Higher Education Act

In future, universities in Berlin will be able to exmatriculate students who have committed serious offences, i.e. ban them permanently from the institution.

The black-red Senate passed a corresponding amendment to the Higher Education Act on Tuesday. The plan, which will now be discussed further in the House of Representatives and then passed, is a consequence of an attack by a fellow student on a Jewish student at Freie Universität almost two months ago.

Graduated disciplinary measures depending on the severity of the disruption

The possibility of exmatriculation was only abolished by the red-green-red government in 2021. Since then, Berlin has been the only federal state without such severe sanctions, according to previous information - the university law in force to date provides for a three-month ban at most. According to science senator Ina Czyborra (SPD), the key point is the reintroduction of the law of order at universities. Graduated disciplinary measures are planned, depending on the type and severity of the disruption. These range from a reprimand to de-registration.