There is no crowd here: Of the almost 30.000 students in Tübingen, no 100 enrolled in paleoanthropology. Anyone who does his bachelor's degree here is on the trail of the oldest sections of human history, is interested in Quaternary ecology and acquires competences in osteology: Using state-of-the-art methods, one learns to define skeletal age and gender. Scientifically excellent work is done, the highly endowed state research award 2014 went to the internationally renowned Tübingen professor Katerina Harvati.

The small subjects (a maximum of three professors at one location and / or only represented at ten percent of all university locations in Germany) are generally denied that much public awareness. Wrongly, as Science Minister Theresia Bauer (Greens) thinks: “Although small in terms of staffing levels, the number of students or the number of university locations, the small subjects are of inestimable importance for basic research and the diversity of thinking in our society. We are absolutely dependent on their competence, their perspectives and methods. "

Bauer has had a commission of experts work out what is happening to the courses at the universities in Baden-Württemberg, which are often referred to as "orchid subjects", and what should be done for them. The results have now been presented.

This is the first time there is data. With the exception of the two universities in Ulm and Mannheim, all other seven reported the existence of small subjects: a total of 116 (of which 75 differed) with around 12 000 students in the major and minor subjects. The great majority are in the humanities, but after all, almost every fifth minor is a natural science. Most minor subjects have the University of Freiburg with 38, followed by the universities in Heidelberg (31) and Tübingen (26).

At the “Diversity, Competence, Future” symposium last year, Heidelberg Rector Bernhard Eitel pointed out a particular problem, as can be read in the final report: “There are hardly any subjects that are more dependent on the zeitgeist than the small subjects.” As One example he cited was the risk to radiochemistry. There is hardly any research on nuclear power and nuclear technology: “But we have to reckon with the dismantling of reactors for at least 50 years. In 20 years' time we will have to appoint every core technician from France, Italy, Sweden or the USA or recruit them from the companies because we no longer train anyone within the university, completely in the political mainstream. "

There is also no lobby for the subject of soil science: everyone knows “that humanity depends on the fertility of the soil.” The fact that the mainstream can change is shown by the long-neglected deposit science. Experts for rare earths are in demand like rarely. As is currently the case with the ancient orientalists in view of the barbaric destruction of ancient cultural assets in Iraq and elsewhere by the IS terrorist militia.

"So it is not a luxury but a necessity to deal with the small subjects," says Bauer, explaining the state initiative. She notes that deficits in personnel and space are complained about. A fund, which is fed with one million euros annually for three years, is intended to further develop the performance of small subjects.

Decisive for the promotion is the national and international competitiveness in teaching, research and social transfer. A Zukunftsrat should reduce the coordination deficit, ensure better networking and help with the transfer of competencies to society. It's about a process of self-regulation: what should be maintained, closed or rebuilt is ultimately a matter for the universities.

Source: http://www.swp.de/ulm/nachrichten/suedwestumschau/Kleine-Faecher-ganz-gross;art4319,3151391