The German Educational Research Association (GERA)

The German Educational Research Association (GERA) | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft (DGfE) is an association for educational researchers active in teaching and research. The association was founded in 1964 and currently has around 4.200 members. GERA aims to promote study, research and education in the area of educational theory and science. Its wide-ranging work is mainly carried out through GERA’s 14 divisions and 18 subdivisions and manifests itself in publications, meetings and a joint congress, which takes place every two years.
GERA operates the institution databank (Institutionendatenbank) in cooperation with the German Education Server (Deutscher Bildungsserver). The databank includes detailed information on institutes of education in Germany.

Recommendations for the critical reappraisal of the GERA’s handling of sexualised violence

The Working Group on the GERA’s Handling of Sexualised Violence was constituted on 28 February 2020. The working group was formed as a result of numerous suggestions, some of which emerged from a discussion of affected individuals following the international congress of those affected by sexual violence in Berlin at the end of 2018. Others came from a request for support from the Subdivision for Social Pedagogy to the GERA’s governing council regarding the topic of sexualised violence against children and adolescents, and from the “Recommendations for the Critical Reappraisal of Sexual Child Abuse in Institutions”, written by the Independent Commission for the Critical Reappraisal of Sexual Child Abuse, and presented in Berlin in December 2019. All divisions of the GERA had been asked to nominate a maximum of two delegates. In addition, three colleagues with relevant research expertise in the field of sexualised violence were invited, as well as the head of the archive of the Library for Research on the History of Education, where the files of the GERA’s council have been archived since 1964.

The following recommendations were developed in a total of five plenary meetings and three meetings of smaller subgroups. The desire for reappraisal was held by all participants, even though there were differing views about what exactly should be reappraised and to what extent. Those named at the end of this paper have expressly lent their approval to the recommendations, which emerged as the result of a hard struggle in search of compromise.

Here you can find the recommendations of the Working Group as a pdf-download.

We reiterate our clear condemnation of the Russian government's war of aggression, which has now lasted a year, and recognise Ukraine's right to military self-defence. We see with great concern the destructive effects of the war on civil society and the people affected, which are also linked to major restrictions for learning, education and development processes of children and young people and for pedagogical fields of action. At the same time, we are very aware of the limited possibilities for direct influence by GERA on the war events in Ukraine.
We also see that focusing attention on the war in Ukraine must not lead to a blinding off of other trouble spots, conflicts and armed conflicts around the world. Overall, we understand our statement as a clear commitment to non-violent conflict resolution and solidarity with all opponents of this war of aggression. We therefore reiterate our call to support, as far as possible, all those affected by the war in Ukraine.

GERA Council, January 2023

• Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst | Німецька служба академічних обмінів (DAAD)
  The DAAD is the world’s largest funding organisation for cross-border academic cooperation and the international exchange of students and researchers. The DAAD would like to enable students and graduates from Ukraine to attend higher education institutions in Germany. On this page, they are providing offers of assistance from their partners as well as German and international institutes of higher education.
  DAAD хоче допомогти студентам та випускникам з України, щоб уможливити їхнє перебування у Німеччині. Ми радо інформуємо вас про пропозиції щодо підтримки від наших партнерів, а також німецьких та іноземних вишів.
• Network for Ukrainian Scientists | Сеть для украинских ученых в Германии и Австрии
• #ScienceForUkraine
  #ScienceForUkraine is a community group of volunteer researchers and students from academic institutions in Europe and around the world. Our mission is to support the Ukrainian academic community in surviving the Russia’s war and to help ensure the continuity of Ukraine's science and strengthen its presence in the international science arena.