Jörg Dräger

Jörg Dräger (born 1 January 1968 in Darmstadt) is a German physicist, politician and manager.[1][2] From 2001 to 2008 he served as a senator in the Hamburg state government.[3] From 2008 to 2021 he has been a member of the Bertelsmann Stiftung Executive Board where he is responsible for the areas of education and integration.[4][5] Dräger is considered a leading education expert[6][7] and is the author of numerous books on education policy,[8][9] including the impacts of digitization.[10]

Jörg Dräger
Jörg Dräger (2017)
Born (1968-01-01) 1 January 1968
Darmstadt, Hesse, West Germany
(now Germany)
NationalityGerman
Alma mater
OccupationMember of the bertelsmann stiftung executive board
Known forSenator in the Hamburg state government
Websitewww.joergdraeger.de

Life

Dräger completed his secondary education (Abitur) in 1987 at the Christianeum in Hamburg before doing community service in lieu of military service (Zivildienst).[11][12] He then attended the University of Hamburg, studying physics with a minor in business.[2] After receiving his undergraduate degree (Vordiplom) he transferred to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he was awarded a Master of Science in theoretical physics in 1993.[13] Three years later he received a PhD for his work in the area of mathematical crystallography.[12] While studying and completing his doctorate he worked as a research assistant.[13]

Dräger is married and has two children.[14][15]

Career

In 1996, he joined Roland Berger Strategy Consultants in Frankfurt am Main as a corporate consultant.[16][17] He then returned to Hamburg in 1999 to lead the newly established Northern Institute of Technology as its CEO.[12][18] The institute is one of the first public-private partnerships in the area of German higher education and is known for its interdisciplinary approach.[19][20][21][22]

Public Office

In 2001, Dräger was appointed senator of science and research in Hamburg's state government led by Ole von Beust, a position he held as a political independent.[23][24] He called for the introduction of tuition fees and more competition among higher education institutions to secure the institutions' long-term funding.[25][26] These recommendations were greeted with criticism, especially by student representatives.[27]

After early elections in 2004, Dräger was appointed senator of science and health in the second von Beust government.[12][28] Continuing to advocate for reform, he succeeded in introducing tuition fees.[29] His goal was a fundamental reform of Hamburg's university system.[30] He promoted the establishment of new institutions and the consolidation of existing ones as a way of modernizing Hamburg's higher education structures and making them more flexible.[12] In retrospect these measures have proven controversial:[31] While supporters praised his expertise and determination, critics opposed cutbacks made in the humanities, among other changes.[32] In 2008, Dräger placed last in the ranking of ministers published by the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers; one year later he again placed sixth.[33][34]

In 2006, he turned over his responsibilities in the area of health to Senator Birgit Schnieber-Jastram.[35] Following elections in 2008 he announced that he would not serve another term.[36] His announcement was met with regret by a number of public figures, including former Hamburg Mayor Klaus von Dohnanyi, who wrote in a commentary in the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper that the city had lost presumably its "most effective science senator since 1945."[37] Other members of the media, conversely, were relieved that the "bulldozer in the three-piece suit" (taz) was leaving politics.[38]

Bertelsmann Stiftung

In 2008, Dräger became a member of the Bertelsmann Stiftung Executive Board, where he is responsible for the areas of education and integration.[39][13] In addition, he joined Frank Ziegele as a co-executive director of the nonprofit CHE Centre for Higher Education.[40][41] In both positions Dräger has advocated for a number of reforms, including more autonomous colleges and universities.[42] He has called for providing schools in troubled neighborhoods with better equipment and resources, and ensuring that educational systems in rural areas adapt to reflect demographic change.[43][44] He is in favor of all-day schools and views digital media as a helpful tool for improving education.[45][46]

Dräger serves as the deputy chair of the Board of Trustees of the Expert Council of the German Foundations on Integration and Migration.[47] He has called for increased immigration from non-EU countries to ensure Germany does not lose out in the international competition for skilled workers.[48][49][50]

Dräger advises young entrepreneurs at the nonprofit Founders Foundation and teaches public management at the Hertie School of Governance.[51][52]

Other activities

Publications
  • Jörg Dräger; Robert H. Silsbee (1997). Simulations for Solid State Physics. An Interactive Resource for Students and Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-59094-5.
  • Jörg Dräger (2011). Dichter, Denker, Schulversager: Gute Schulen sind machbar – Wege aus der Bildungskrise (in German). Munich: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. ISBN 978-3-421-04529-4.
  • Jörg Dräger; Christina Tillmann; Frank Frick (2014). Wie politische Ideen Wirklichkeit werden – Ein Lehr- und Praxisbuch (in German). Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlag. ISBN 978-3-8487-1613-5.
  • Jörg Dräger; Ralph Müller-Eiselt (2015). Die digitale Bildungsrevolution: Der radikale Wandel des Lernens und wie wir ihn gestalten können (in German). Munich: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. ISBN 978-3-421-04709-0.

References
  1. Bernhard Hänel (29 August 2011). "Zukunft entscheidet sich im Klassenzimmer". Neue Westfälische (in German).
  2. Florian Hanauer (21 August 2005). "Reformer mit kühlem Kopf". Welt am Sonntag (in German).
  3. Elisabeth Jessen (29 August 2011). "Wege aus der Bildungskrise". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German).
  4. "Hamburgs Wissenschaftssenator wechselt zu Bertelsmann". Der Tagesspiegel (in German). 5 March 2008.
  5. "Bertelsmann: Dräger geht zur Stiftung". Manager Magazin (in German). 4 March 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  6. Jörn Lauterbach (27 September 2015). "Das wird ein Angriff auf die Eliten". Welt am Sonntag (in German).
  7. "Bildungsexperte Dräger: Das Abitur wird zum Normalfall". Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 22 March 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  8. Michael Okrob (31 August 2011). "Wieder ein Schulbuch: Spät, aber wichtig". Die Tageszeitung (in German).
  9. "Debatte über das Lernen der Zukunft". Die Welt (in German). 1 April 2016.
  10. Jörg Dräger, Ralph Müller-Eiselt (8 October 2015). "Digitalisierung: Humboldt gegen Orwell". Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  11. Renate Pinzke (31 August 2004). "Ich brauche kein Lob". Hamburger Morgenpost (in German).
  12. "Jörg Dräger". Internationales Biographisches Archiv (in German). Munzinger. 9 September 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  13. "Bildung ist die Basis". Neue Westfälische (in German). 2 July 2008.
  14. "Dräger-Nachwuchs". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German). 9 June 2005.
  15. Bernd Eyermann (20 January 2012). "Guter Unterricht nimmt alle mit". Bonner General-Anzeiger (in German).
  16. Norbert Bensel, ed. (2003). Hochschulen, Studienreform und Arbeitsmärkte: Voraussetzungen erfolgreicher Beschäftigungs- und Hochschulpolitik. Bielefeld: W. Bertelsmann Verlag. p. 286. ISBN 3-7639-3168-6.
  17. Peter Meyer, Christoph Rind (21 March 2002). "Unis: Wer baut aus, wer baut ab?". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German).
  18. Nicola Sieverling (26 January 2003). "Der Laptop-Senator". Welt am Sonntag (in German). Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  19. Wolfgang Ehemann (15 August 1999). "Ausruhen gibt es hier nicht". Welt am Sonntag (in German).
  20. Deborah Knür (17 August 1999). "Die Besten der Besten studieren jetzt in Harburg". Die Welt (in German).
  21. "Northern Institute of Technology: Wirtschaft zieht voll mit". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German). 17 December 1999.
  22. Petra Kipphoff (31 August 2000). "Jenseits der Technik". Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  23. Christoph Rind (20 November 2001). "An die Arbeit, Herr Senator!". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German).
  24. Arnfrid Schenk (21 October 2004). "Der Quereinsteiger". Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  25. Christoph Rind (13 November 2001). "Gebühren und mehr Wettbewerb". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German).
  26. Kaija Kutter (24 October 2001). "Drägers Uni-Modell". Die Tageszeitung (in German).
  27. Kaija Kutter (15 November 2001). "Unerwünschter Auftritt". Die Tageszeitung (in German) (Hamburg ed.).
  28. "Das sind Oles neue Senatoren". Hamburger Morgenpost (in German). 16 March 2004.
  29. Ira von Mellenthin (25 March 2004). "An der Problemlage hat sich nichts geändert". Die Welt (in German).
  30. Martin Spiewak (6 February 2003). "Blaupause für deutsche Universitäten". Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  31. "Umkrempeln um jeden Preis". Parlament (in German). 16 January 2006.
  32. Martin Spiewak (23 March 2005). "Tortenschlacht um den Überzeugungstäter". Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  33. Jochen Leffers (21 February 2008). "Die Professoren keilen aus". Spiegel Online (in German). Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  34. Jochen Leffers (28 January 2009). "Ein bisschen Spaß muss sein". Spiegel Online (in German). Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  35. "Neue Senatorin für Gesundheit in Hamburg". Ärzte Zeitung (in German). 24 March 2006.
  36. "Jörg Dräger verlässt die Politik". Spiegel Online (in German). 4 March 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  37. "Wegweisende Entscheidungen". Hamburger Abendblatt (in German). 5 March 2008.
  38. "Bulldozer im Dreiteiler: Jörg Dräger, Wissenschaftsenator auf Abruf". Die Tageszeitung (in German). 5 March 2008.
  39. Insa Gall (5 March 2008). "Senator Dräger wechselt zu Bertelsmann". Die Welt (in German) (Hamburg ed.).
  40. Wolf Schmidt (21 June 2008). "Der stolze Schlachter der heiligen Kühe". Die Tageszeitung (in German).
  41. "Ein radikaler Reformer". Der Tagesspiegel (in German). 23 June 2008.
  42. Dorothee Fricke (1 April 2008). "Rankings ausbauen, Autonomie stärken". Junge Karriere (in German).
  43. Jeannette Goddar (8 December 2010). "Ein Sofortprogramm für Brennpunktschulen ist überfällig!". Frankfurter Rundschau (in German).
  44. "Investieren statt reparieren". Westfalen-Blatt (in German). 20 February 2013.
  45. Michael Nichau (30 January 2014). "Ganztagsschule wird Normalität". Westfalen-Blatt (in German).
  46. "Digitale Medien sind Hilfsmittel". Neue Westfälische (Zeitung für das Lübbecker Land) (in German). 22 June 2017.
  47. "Kuratorium" (in German). Sachverständigenrat deutscher Stiftungen für Integration und Migration. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  48. Daniel Bax (29 May 2013). "Willkommen im Kanzleramt". Die Tageszeitung (in German).
  49. Barbara Gillmann (1 September 2014). "Ausländer rein!". Handelsblatt (in German).
  50. Jörg Dräger (22 March 2012). "Punkte für Deutschland". Der Tagesspiegel (in German). Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  51. Martin Krause (17 February 2016). "Bertelsmann gibt Millionen für Firmengründer in OWL". Neue Westfälische (in German).
  52. "Jörg Dräger" (in German). Hertie School of Governance. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  53. Governance Jacobs University Bremen.
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