The humanities and cultural studies make an indispensable contribution to cultural heritage, social cohesion and the critical reflection of contemporary transformation processes. At the same time, these disciplines are facing profound changes. Commissioned by the Volkswagen Stiftung, the study \u201cThe Current Situation of the Humanities and Cultural Studies in Germany\u201d provides a comprehensive mapping of the field, analysing its development through key structural indicators and offering an in-depth assessment of its current state and future challenges. This new mapping will be made available to participants of the conference \u201cHumanities and Cultural Studies 2040: New Horizons and Developments\u201d, taking place on 21-22 September 2026, to support evidence-based discussions on the future of the humanities and cultural studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The findings of the study reveal a differentiated picture. While student numbers in the humanities have declined significantly in recent years, disciplines such as arts, music, theatre and media studies have experienced growth. At the same time, the academic community is facing a substantial generational shift, with around half of all professorships expected to be refilled by 2035 due to retirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The analysis also highlights substantial differences between individual disciplinary fields in terms of research performance, institutional structures and funding conditions. It demonstrates that broad generalisations about \u201cthe humanities and cultural studies\u201d fail to capture the diversity of developments, profiles and challenges across the disciplines. Despite declining student numbers in many subject areas and increasingly constrained financial resources, numerous fields continue to demonstrate strong international competitiveness and outstanding research performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The mapping exercise showcases the diversity, strengths and achievements of the humanities and cultural studies. Through detailed factsheets for the individual disciplinary fields, it provides a robust evidence base for strategic discussions about the future development of this important group of disciplines, both within the framework of the conference and beyond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","solution":[133,109],"sector":[85,70],"class_list":["post-67797","report","type-report","status-publish","hentry","solution-evaluation-nl","solution-strategic-studies-nl","sector-digitalisation-nl","sector-higher-education-nl"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n