(ANSA) - Rome, June 28 - The rector of the University of Siegen, Holger Burkhart, told ANSA in an interview that nobody should be excluded from higher education based on the lack of resources and that Germany's dual education system offers excellent employment opportunities.
    The rector was speaking ahead of the event "G7 University - University education for all. Actions for a sustainable future", scheduled to take place in the northern city of Udine on June 29-30. Over 150 deans, lecturers and students from the G7 countries are expected to take part in the initiative, which is part of the Italian festival of knowledge - 'Conoscenza in Festa'.
    Q: The motto of the summit of rectors is "university for all" but the German model shows that academic education is not indispensable to access the labor market. What do you think about this slogan? A: I see it as a call to those with responsibility, in politics, to ensure that higher education is accessible to all those who have an interest and the necessary requirements for successful studies. Nobody should be excluded based on their provenance or the lack of economic resources. On the other hand, a society and an economy do not benefit from the fact that the great majority of a generation opts for a higher education school. Germany's dual education system actually offers excellent employment prospects for the young. It is an indisputable fact in all advanced economies that the phase of education and that of employment are not consecutive, as in the past, but increasingly cross. Those offering academic training and employment training need to improve the passage from academic to job training. And this means developing and agreeing on new training offers built for this purpose.
    Q: Today we are witnessing with anxiety the growth of anti-European populism in the EU. The Erasmus program is said to have produced a generation of young Europeans. Do you think this is true? Can university build Europe? A: I believe this statement is true. A study on the impact of Erasmus in 2014 showed that Erasmus alumni were clearly more mobile: 40% of Erasmus students had moved to another country one year after the end of their studies, compared to 23% of those who had not moved as students; 93% of Erasmus students can imagine living in another country while only 73% of those who never left their (country) answered in this way. One-third of Erasmus students has a partner of another nationality, this concerns only 13% of the other group. It is therefore truly possible to talk about an Erasmus generation for whom Europe is a reality they have experienced. This groups shows that it is particularly open to the concept of Europe and decidedly goes against isolationist movements, like Brexit and populist currents, like in Poland and Hungary.
    Q: Italian university is suffering from the lack of adequate resources for research and the brain drain is a well-known phenomenon. How is the situation in Germany? A: The Italian research system and research politics in Italy in my opinion are faced with the challenge of having to boost the attractiveness of the Italian national system, of offering career paths and giving more incentives to make a career as researcher possible in Italy. An indicator is that Italian scientists are successful in the European Research Council yet mainly take their grants in other European universities. In Germany as well, the migration toll on ERC grants is negative.
    However, it is still possible overall to talk about "brain circulation" since many scientists who emigrate for a period subsequently come back here if they receive attractive offers.
    With the excellent initiative of the prize Alexander von Humboldt, Germany can make such offers. Moreover, spending on research in Germany is continuing to grow and has reached 3% of GDP; 1% of these resources comes from the state. In this way, the overall research system, funded with public and private resources, grows more attractive.