Statement by the President on the 2026 State Legislative Election

Dear students,
colleagues and members of the University community,

Yesterday’s state election has significantly altered the political landscape in Saxony-Anhalt. The outcome of a democratic election must be respected. At this point, it remains unclear what form the future government will take and what course it will pursue, particularly in higher education and research policy.

This marks the beginning of a period of uncertainty. We cannot yet anticipate the political processes of the coming weeks or their consequences. I know that this uncertainty has been on the minds of many of you for several weeks: What will these political developments mean for our University and for the freedom of research and teaching? How will the election result affect our international outlook? And what will it mean for the many people from other countries who study and work here?

We are already experiencing this uncertainty in very tangible ways. We are receiving questions from international students, researchers and other members of staff, as well as from people who are considering coming to Magdeburg and are wondering whether they will continue to be welcome here. We take these concerns very seriously.

At the same time, we can say to you with confidence: Our University will stand by what it has built over the past years. On our campus, we have established structures that support international students and members of staff and give them a sense of security and belonging. With our international members particularly in mind, we will do everything we can to remain a reliable point of contact, provide guidance and offer support.

To those who are now personally wondering what these political developments mean for their place at our University, I therefore want to say explicitly: You belong to this University. You are welcome here. The election result does not change that.

Beyond this, what we made clear before the election still stands: Academic freedom must be protected. Research and teaching must not be subject to political directives. Collaboration with researchers from around the world is essential to our work. We will continue to stand up for these principles.

We have already clearly identified and assessed some of the demands expressed during the election campaign and in party manifestos. What matters now is whether, and in what form, they translate into concrete political action. We will therefore follow developments closely over the coming weeks. We will assess political decisions by their actual impact on research, teaching and the people at our University, and we will make our position clear wherever necessary.

This is not about party politics. It is about the conditions that enable a university to fulfil its legal and societal responsibilities.

You can rely on the University leadership to follow this process attentively, calmly and with the necessary clarity. We will keep you informed about developments relevant to our University and any consequences arising from them.

We do not know today what the coming weeks will bring. But we do know what we stand for as a University. Our compass remains clear: academic freedom and a University that is open to people from around the world.

Yours sincerely,
Jens Strackeljan

President of Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg