Over the past two years, Brandenburg's universities have successfully strengthened their cooperation in the BLHP and found common positions on important issues. The socio-political challenges of this time, whether the restart after the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine, solidarity with university members in Iran or support for the commitment to greater sustainability, have been addressed jointly, as have higher education policy issues:

"The coalition agreement of the state government had set itself the goal of increasing the autonomy of universities, a concern that has not yet been honoured by the amendment to the Brandenburg Higher Education Act. Innovation and excellence need room for manoeuvre. A one-size-fits-all limitation in terms of structures, committees or personnel does not do justice to the diversity of the state's universities and, in the worst case, limits their performance. In addition to a modern Higher Education Act, the adequate financing of university budgets and progress in university construction will remain the subject of joint efforts," said Prof. Dr. Schmitt-Rodermund.

Prof. Dr. St¨¹rmer adds: "The higher education system in Brandenburg benefits, among other things, from the good and close cooperation between the university managements, which is reflected in joint positions on important issues, joint study programmes and research activities, a number of overarching institutions and collegial support. The BLHP plays an important role here and I am delighted with the trust placed in it by my colleagues, which is reflected in this election decision. The next term of office ahead of us, including the review of the Science Council and the renegotiation of university contracts, will also be characterised by intensive coordination.

Science Minister Dr. Manja Sch¨¹le: "Never change a winning team: I congratulate Eva Schmitt-Rodermund and Susanne St¨¹rmer on their re-election as the dual leadership of the Brandenburg State Conference of University Presidents! A little continuity in turbulent times is a good decision. And there is no shortage of current challenges ¨C keywords here are, for example, the evaluation of the Science Council, the renegotiation of the university contracts and the amendment to the Higher Education Act. But despite all the differences: The crises surrounding corona and the war in Ukraine have shown that there is close and trusting cooperation between my ministry and the BLHP. That cannot be taken for granted. I would like to express my sincere thanks for this! I look forward to further cooperation."

Prof. Dr. Eva Schmitt-Rodermund, President of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam
Prof. Dr. Eva Schmitt-Rodermund has been President of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam since the 1^st of January 2019. The developmental psychologist and science manager studied psychology at Justus Liebig University in Giessen. After completing her doctorate and habilitation at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena and research stays at Pennsylvania State University (USA), she was Professor of Psychology, Head of Academic and Student Affairs and Deputy Chancellor in Jena. Her research topics, which are reflected in many years of third-party funding, lively teaching activities and more than 70 publications, are in particular start-up and entrepreneurship, career development across the lifespan, acculturation processes in young immigrants and developmental transitions in adolescence. However, her main interest for many years has been in science management. Due to the special combination of a scientific and an administrative perspective, she has broad experience in science management and specialises in change processes against the background of strategic goals at universities.

Prof. Dr. Susanne St¨¹rmer, President of the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF
Prof. Dr.. Susanne St¨¹rmer has been President of the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF since the 1^st of October 2013. Previously, Susanne St¨¹rmer held the professorship "Production of New Media" in the film and television production programme at the university as a part-time professor, parallel to her work as Managing Director of UFA GmbH. Susanne St¨¹rmer is an economist and has a doctorate in the field of regulatory economics and has worked in a managerial position. At the beginning of her first term of office, in July 2014, her status changed to university. Since then, Susanne St¨¹rmer has been shaping the university's profile as President ¨C together with the university's committees. This primarily concerns the strengthening of research and transfer activities, national and international networking and the creation of new teaching programmes. Susanne St¨¹rmer is, among other things, President of the European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA), the European Association of Universities of the Arts, Deputy Spokesperson of the German Rectors' Conference of Universities of the Arts (rkk), member of the Supervisory Board of media.net Berlin-Brandenburg and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH, member of the Board of Trustees of the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications HHI and member of the Advisory Board of the Federal Government's Centre of Excellence for Cultural and Creative Industries.

The BLHP
The Brandenburg State Conference of University Presidents (BLHP) is an association of the ten state universities in the state of Brandenburg. It promotes cooperation between the universities in the fields of education and science and deals with overarching higher education policy issues.

https://blhp.de/