University-level antisemitism: Designated point of contact imminent
Berlin, the vibrant capital of Germany, is taking significant steps to address the rising issue of antisemitism at its universities. The city's Senate has announced the establishment of a central point of contact, who will be responsible for countering antisemitic structures within higher education institutions.
Ina Czyborra, Science Senator (SPD), has emphasised the importance of this role, stating that it remains a major task to counteract antisemitic structures at Berlin universities. The central point of contact will serve as a centralized coordinator and advisor, ensuring consistent and effective implementation of anti-antisemitism strategies.
The role will involve monitoring existing measures taken by universities to prevent antisemitic discrimination, advising university institutions on how to handle and prevent antisemitism effectively, and coordinating with existing antisemitism representatives across universities to unify and strengthen efforts and responses.
The central point of contact will also network with organisations in the field of antisemitism prevention and organise events related to antisemitism prevention. Moreover, they will coordinate the work of antisemitism commissioners at individual universities and exchange information with security authorities, universities, federal and state commissioners, and commissioners of universities in other federal states.
This role is part of Berlin's new state-level initiative to enforce responsibility on universities to proactively prevent antisemitic discrimination on their campuses. The Senate's decision to establish a central point of contact is another building block for antisemitism prevention, as the city continues to address the rise in antisemitic incidents, such as those triggered by the recent attack by the Hamas terrorist group on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The position is now being advertised and is expected to be filled by January 1, 2026. The central point of contact will play a crucial role in the ongoing effort to combat antisemitism at Berlin universities, contributing significantly to the ongoing efforts to prevent and counteract antisemitic structures.
The central point of contact, a newly established role in Berlin, will not only focus on education-and-self-development within universities but also identify and counteract antisemitic structures as part of a broader anti-antisemitism strategy. In addition to their general responsibilities, they will coordinate with various organizations, authorities, and commissioners to strengthen efforts in antisemitism prevention, providing a unified response to the rising issue of antisemitism in politics and general news.
