Senatorin für Bildung und Wissenschaft

Overview

The Senatorin für Bildung, Jugend und Familie (Senator for Education, Youth and Family, commonly referred to as “Bildungssenatorin”) and the Senatorin für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit, Pflege und Gleichstellung (Senator for Science, Health, Nursing and Equality, often shortened to “Wissenschaftssenatorin”) jointly perform responsibilities in education and science policy within the Berlin Senate. Berlin’s school system, vocational education, adult and youth services are anchored in the Bildungssenator’s portfolio, while public universities, non‑university research institutions and scientific governance fall to the Wissenschaftssenatorin. Since April 2023, the Education portfolio has been led by Katharina Günther‑Wünsch (CDU) and the Science portfolio by Ina Czyborra (SPD).

History and Legal Framework

Both Senatorinnen represent cabinet-level offices in the Berlin Senate, which is empowered under Germany’s Grundgesetz and Berlin’s city-state constitution. The city government of Berlin uniquely separates schooling and child development from universities and research—reflecting post‑reunification administrative reform and legislative changes in 2016 and 2021, which reorganised the science administration and elevated its status as a separate Senatsverwaltung. Each office is established by statute and operates with the authority of a supreme state ministry within the German federal structure.

Mission, Vision and Objectives in Higher Education

The combined mission of both departments is to ensure that Berlin’s education continuum—from early childhood to pre‑university and from world‑class research to lifelong learning—is accessible, high-quality and inclusive. In the higher education sphere, key objectives include:

• Maintaining and advancing the excellence of Berlin’s four public universities (Freie Universität, Humboldt‑Universität, Technische Universität, Charité), the Berlin University Alliance and over 30 other tertiary institutions—32 officially recognised in Berlin, according to uniRank in 2025;
• Strengthening research performance, infrastructure and innovation ecosystems through long-term state funding and university agreements;
• Embedding digital transformation across teaching, administration, library and research infrastructures;
• Promoting diversity, gender parity, refugee access and under-represented demographics in higher education;
• Enhancing student mobility, doctoral training and university-business cooperation.

Governance, Structure and Independence

Katharina Günther‑Wünsch heads the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family, the largest in Berlin, supported by Staatssekretärinnen for Education, Youth and School Digitalisation. It encompasses central services such as vocational training, school inspectorates and broadcasting headquarters. Meanwhile, Ina Czyborra leads the Senate Department for Science, Health and Care, supported by State Secretaries for Science and Nursing. The science department comprises directorates for Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Equality.

While both offices report to the Governing Mayor and participate collectively in Senate decisions, each maintains operational independence in areas such as charters, doctoral regulation, university financing agreements, appointments and quality assurance. Cross-overs are regulated via joint committees and fully transparent university development reviews.

Accreditation and Quality Evaluation in Higher Education

Responsibility for institutional licensing, charters, new course approvals and rector appointments at Berlin’s universities falls within the Wissenschaftssenatorin’s remit. The Senator regularly reviews statutory performance agreements negotiated every five years with universities. Quality assurance is supported at both state and federal levels: financing is contingent on meeting targets agreed under these contracts. Coordination with the German Council of Science and Humanities (Wissenschaftsrat), national accreditation agencies (e.g. SR and agency-accreditations) and peer-driven internal evaluations helps maintain compliance with national and European standards.

International Cooperation and Network Memberships

Berlin’s education and science senators play an active role in several supraregional and international bodies:

• As standard bearers in the Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK), Berlin’s Bildungssenatorin coordinates national school and curriculum standards.
• The Wissenschaftssenatorin represents Berlin at the Kultusministerkonferenz’s higher education committee, the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) and bodies such as TU9 (for Germany’s leading technical universities).
• Both offices oversee Berlin’s representation in EU programmes (such as Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, European Research Infrastructure Partnerships) and access to structural funds administered through the Berlin Senate’s EU Liaison Office.
• They support Erasmus+, COST, Creative Europe, UNESCO partnerships, global exchange agreements and track international student mobility across 170+ partner universities globally.

Current or Future Impact on Higher Education

Under the current 2023–2026 Wegner Senate term, key impacts include:

• University Excellence Strategy: Securing multi-year funding and expansion of Berlin University Alliance clusters beyond 2027, focusing on climate, AI, health and mobility research;
• Equity and Access: New scholarships for refugee and first‑generation students and expanded support for students with disabilities, foster care backgrounds and single-parent households;
• Digital Campus: Ongoing rollout of unified digital student accounts, digital examinations, blended learning platforms and open educational resources;
• Dual Education Integration: Strengthening pathways between vocational schools and higher education via dual‑study formats, transition agreements and guaranteed apprenticeship‑to‑university routes;
• University Reform Agenda: Work is underway to modernise the Berlin Higher Education Act with modules addressing academic freedom, conflict resolution on campus and new instruments for handling misconduct.

Summary

The Berlin Senate’s approach—divided between a Bildungssenatorin focused on general and vocational education and a Wissenschaftssenatorin responsible for universities and research—reflects Germany’s layered education system. Together, they govern one of Germany’s most international, research-intensive education landscapes, home to 32 universities and major scientific centres, according to uniRank. With regulatory oversight, strategic funding, emphasis on equity and quality and a commitment to international engagement, the dual Senatsverwaltungen shape Berlin into a premier higher education and research capital in Europe.

FAQs

• What is the role of the Senatorin für Bildung und Wissenschaft?
  In Berlin, education and science are divided between two Senatorinnen: one oversees schooling, youth and vocational training; the other oversees universities, research and doctoral policy.
• When did the current structure take effect?
  The current split of portfolios among Education and Science departments dates to reforms enacted in 2016 and the re-establishment of the science senatorial office in 2021.
• Who are the current officeholders?
  Katharina Günther‑Wünsch (CDU) serves as Senatorin for Education, Youth and Family; Ina Czyborra (SPD) is Senatorin for Science, Health, Nursing and Equality, both appointed in April 2023.
• How many universities does Berlin host?
  Berlin hosts 32 officially recognised universities and colleges as of early 2025, according to uniRank, including four major public universities ranked among Germany’s top research institutions.
• How do these Senatorien influence university research funding?
  Through five‑year performance agreements with each public university, competitive cluster funding and direct research grants, they guide excellence in higher education.
• Do they engage internationally?
  Yes: Berlin’s education and science initiatives are embedded in national and EU policymaking, cross-border academic networks and global mobility schemes like Erasmus+.