Termination jeopardizes academic freedom

2023-07-13 09:52:11

ÖCV sees freedom of science through dismissal of Dr. Pichlbauer in danger

If topics such as the number of places actually required for a certain subject can no longer be discussed openly without the discussants risking personal reprisals, academic freedom is at risk. This must be vigorously counteracted. Scientific arguments must be used against scientific statements and not dismissals.

President of the Austrian Cartels Association Lukas Veitschegger, LL.B.

Vienna (OTS) – “It is a serious duty of all of us to strive for science; only the truth let us live in freedom heavenly light!”, so read the first two lines of the 2nd stanza of the anthem of the Austrian Cartell Association (ÖCV) and refer to Art. 17 of the Basic Law of 1867: “Science and its teaching is free”. This article gives science the space to work, but if you break it, as is the case with the resignation of Dr. Ernest Pichlbauer after an interview with Ö1, puts the freedom of science in acute danger.

That’s how he expresses himself President of the Austrian Cartels Association Lukas Veitschegger, LL.B., student at the Sigmund Freud Private University (SFU), amazed: “If topics such as the number of places actually required for a certain subject can no longer be openly discussed without the discussants risking personal reprisals, the freedom of science is in danger . This must be vigorously counteracted. Scientific arguments must be used against scientific statements and not dismissals.”

Dr. Ernest Pichlbauer, In an interview in the Ö1 Morgenjournal, a self-employed health economist and previously a lecturer at the Sigmund Freud Private University (SFU), was relatively critical of the demand by the Vienna City Councilor for Health, Peter Hacker, for a massive increase in the number of places to study medicine. A few hours later he was dismissed as a lecturer by the SFU. The Austrian Cartell Association (ÖCV) sees the termination not only as a violation of the right to freedom of expression, but also of the aforementioned Art. 17 of the Basic Law of 1867: “Science and its teaching is free”, because the subject of the interview falls clearly in the professional competence of Dr. Pichlbauer as a scientist, as which he also represents his opinion.

The Austrian Cartellverband (ÖCV) is the largest student and academic association in Austria with over 13,000 members. With its 50 Catholic student associations, it is represented in all major university towns in the country. In its ranks there are numerous students and representatives of the university teaching staff and university administration.