(Frankfurt am Main, December 15, 2025) The elimination of electrical engineering degree programs and the elimination, non-appointment, or non-replacement of professorships due to limited financial resources are leading to a permanent loss of technical knowledge. The VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies warned of this in a position paper on the financing of teaching in electrical engineering and information technology courses published in the fall of this year. The result, it said, would be a weakening of Germany's position as a center of higher education, science, and business.
"Electrical engineering and information technology ensure the operation of our energy and communications networks, but also of all other networks for public services," says VDE board member Martin Hieber. Electrical engineering and information technology play a paramount role in the realization of artificial intelligence; modern defense technology would be inconceivable without them, as would modern medical care or the electrification of private transport. "In summary, we see this engineering discipline as the basis for quality and safety in critical infrastructure," says Martin Hieber.
The association's paper is therefore aimed at universities on the one hand and politicians on the other. Both groups are encouraged to take the importance of electrical engineering and information technology into account when allocating funds, to offer or enable attractive study programs with appropriate options, and to maintain the quality of education.
The situation at Frankfurt UAS in the field of electrical engineering shows what the savings can entail. There, almost 40 percent of professorships are not to be refilled in the next five years. Electrical engineering is relatively hard hit, partly because more professors in this field will retire during the term of the Higher Education Pact than in other subjects. As early as next year, for example, no new students will be accepted in the winter semester for the specialization in information and communication technology (ICT).
The VDE fears that electrical engineering courses could become increasingly unattractive as a result of this decline. From a labor market policy perspective, too, a weakening of electrical engineering and information technology does not seem sensible. Even within the STEM subjects, it has been the discipline with the greatest shortage of skilled workers for years – and even in a period of economic weakness, studying electrical engineering offers very good career prospects. "Our current and future world is unimaginable without this engineering discipline," says Hieber. "Jobs in this field are future-oriented, secure technical know-how for our industry, have high added value, and thus ensure prosperity in Germany."
The VDE conducted an interview with the head of the electrical engineering program, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sven Kuhn, at Frankfurt UAS (in German). You will also find the VDE position paper (in German) there.
