Figures of the German student unions

Student unions with a strong social infrastructure even in times of crisis

• Deutsches Studierendenwerk (DSW) with new publication on the services of the 57 student unions in 2022
• DSW Chairman of the Board Matthias Anbuhl: "The student unions have also impressively demonstrated their efficiency in the crisis year 2022 impressively demonstrated their performance"
• Anbuhl: Difficult economic conditions difficult economic conditions require more state aid for the student unions
  
  

Berlin, 20 November 2023: Deutsches Studierendenwerk (DSW), the association of the 57 student unions in Germany, presents a new publication detailing the services of the stdent unions in 2022. DSW Chairman of the Board Matthias Anbuhl is calling for more government support for the more state support for the student unions from the federal states.

Anbuhl calls on the federal states to further increase their financial support for the student unions so that they can continue their successful work for the benefit of students as non-profit, not-for-profit organizations with a state social mandate.

Anbuhl explains the economic challenges facing the student unions using the example of three central service areas:

• In university gastronomy, which was massively affected by the pandemic-related closures and operating restrictions in 2020 and 2021, the partial resumption of face-to-face teaching at the universities in 2022 saw a return to operations, but to a correspondingly limited extent at many locations. Revenue has almost tripled again compared to 2021, but at 285 million euros in 2022, it is still well below the level of the pre-coronavirus years. However, the cost situation in university dining halls has worsened significantly.  In order to stabilize the low canteen prices, higher state subsidies for ongoing operations are therefore required on a permanent basis.
• Affordable student residences were also highly utilized during the Corona years, and demand is now increasing further. The federal states have a huge opportunity to consistently support and implement the federal "Young Housing" programme so that the student unions can create or modernize affordable housing for students.
• In psychosocial counseling, digital services were at least partially continued in addition to the return to face-to-face counseling. However, in view of the multiple crises and the psychological after-effects of the pandemic, the demand from students far exceeds the capacities of the student unions.  The federal and state governments must work together to support the psychosocial counseling of the student unions.
  
  

57 Studierendenwerke in figures:

• 18,201 employees
• 194,004 places in residence halls
• 932 dining halls, cafeterias, restaurants, bistros, coffee bars with 226,422 seats, annual turnover 2022: € 285 million (2021: € 99 million)
• 2.375 billion euros in BAföG funds disbursed to students in 2022 on behalf of the federal and state governments
• Loan funds with low-cost graduation loans or hardship funds for students in financial difficulties in 54 student unions
• 9,198 places in 195 childcare facilities
• 53 student unions with special housing offers for students with children
• 43 student unions with accommodation services: offers from private landlords to students
• 52 student unions with wheelchair-accessible accommodation
• 45 student unions with psychological counseling
• 50 student unions with social counseling centers
• 41 student unions with student residence tutors for the better integration of foreign students
• 41 student unions with support for student cultural groups
  
  

The publication online

This press release online