Conscious of responsibility
German Music universities take a clear stand against abuse of power
Regarding the RKM position paper on dealing with abuse of power, the President of the Weimar University of Music, Prof. Anne-Kathrin Lindig, says:
‘The University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar, together with all other German music universities, adopted a position paper on dealing with abuse of power at the Rectors’ Conference of Music Universities in May 2024. For me, this means that we fundamentally embrace the positions formulated there. Our university is committed to actively combating discrimination and abuse. The Executive Board is committed to ensuring that all members of the university and its staff approach each other with a sense of responsibility, respect and tolerance, and that together they can make the university a safe and pleasant place to be. It creates the conditions for a healthy and respectful climate of communication, learning and work. To this end, appropriate and sustainable measures are being developed and implemented.’
The following is a verbatim reproduction of the press release issued by the Rectors' Conference of Music universities (RKM) on 13 May 2024:
*****************************
The German Music universities recognise that there is abuse of power at their universities and want to take active action against it. The Rectors' Conference of German Music universities (RKM) unanimously adopted a position paper and recommendations for action on this key topic at its meeting in Hamburg from 6-8 May. The latter are intended to serve as an expandable toolbox for future prevention measures and help university management to identify and change structures that encourage abusive behaviour.
The Chairman of the RKM, Prof. Christian Fischer, emphasises: ‘Abuse of power is intolerable. Every case is one case too many - because it causes great suffering to the victims. As university management, we are aware of our responsibility and are sending a clear signal against abuse of power and discrimination both internally and externally with the position paper and the recommendations for action. It is now up to the individual Music universities to implement these recommendations within the framework of their state-specific legal requirements.’
In order to gain further insight into the extent of abuse of power at Music universities, an empirically based survey is to be designed and launched for all Music universities. In addition, the RKM's anti-discrimination working group will develop proposals for joint activities to raise awareness and prevention, such as a Germany-wide day of action.
The RKM had invited representatives of the student initiative against abuse of power, which is very active in the media on this topic, to the conference and discussed with them, among other things, the range of possible abuses of power and necessary preventive measures at Music universities. The 24 state-run German Music universities are organised in the RKM, at which a total of around 19,000 students are enrolled.
→ RKM position paper on dealing with abuse of power at Music universities
→ Annex to the position paper: Recommendations for action
[13 May 2024]