TH Köln to sign new university agreement

The path is now clear for the Executive Board to sign the regulations agreed between the state and the university. This means that TH Köln, like all universities in North Rhine-Westphalia, will make its contribution to the consolidation of the state budget. In agreement with the Senate, the University Advisory Board also emphasized the importance of sustainable university funding and supports the Senate's statement of November 26, 2025. 

At its meeting on December 3, 2025, the University Advisory Board of TH Köln - University of Applied Sciences unanimously assented the signing of the “Extension Agreement to the University Agreement 2026” as envisaged between the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and TH Köln. The University Advisory Board also supports the Senate's statement on the agreement and calls on the Executive Board to continue on the path of sustainable and future-oriented university funding. Only in this way can strategic developments in teaching, research and transfer be further strengthened for the benefit of society.

The Senate of TH Köln - University of Applied Sciences already approved the extension agreement at its meeting on November 26, 2025, but expressed clear criticism of the planned cuts in education and science. From the Senate's point of view, education as well as free and independent science are central pillars of our liberal, constitutional democracy. It therefore urges the Executive Board to use all means at its disposal to achieve an improvement in the university's basic funding from the Ministry.

The “Extension Agreement to the Higher Education Agreement 2026” forms the basis for financial consolidation in the science sector in North Rhine-Westphalia, to which TH Köln - University of Applied Sciences – like all universities in NRW – must contribute in order to ensure planning security up to and including 2028.

_{Please note: This is a translation of the original German version. This document was translated using AI (DeepL). Only the German version is legally binding.}