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Performance review 2023 of the Studierendenwerke NRW

The annual performance report provides exciting insights into the work of the twelve Studierendenwerke in North Rhine-Westphalia. For the Studierendenwerke, 2023 was once again characterized by major challenges, which represented a continuation and in some cases an intensification of the crises of the previous year.

Year of the “polycrises”

The aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, the ongoing war in Ukraine and the associated economic impact continued to shape the everyday life of Studierendenwerk’s facilities. The energy crisis, high inflation and supply chain problems persisted and presented us with complex tasks. At the same time, the climate crisis came more into focus and required sustainable solutions.

Students still under pressure

The results of the 22nd Social Survey from the previous year remain alarmingly topical. The financial situation of many students worsened further in the course of 2023, particularly due to persistently high inflation. Mental stress among students also increased, which was reflected in an increased demand for counseling services.

Reliable pillar for students

Despite these multiple crises, the Studierendenwerke were able to further consolidate their role as a reliable pillar of the social infrastructure for students. The approximately 4,500 employees of the 12 Studierendenwerke in NRW worked tirelessly to provide students with the best possible support in these difficult times. In 2023, it became clearer than ever that the Studierendenwerke play a key role in overcoming these challenges. Their support services in the areas of university catering, housing, student financing, counseling and childcare made a significant contribution to preventing students from dropping out and promoting academic success.

Investing in the future

The digitalization of services continued in 2023. Studierendenwerke invested in innovative solutions to make their services more efficient and accessible. At the same time, intensive work is being done on sustainability and energy efficiency concepts in order to make our own contribution to climate protection. In particular, the focus here was on energy and technical upgrades to student residences and sustainable purchasing for university catering.

Studierendenwerke part of the NRW Crisis Management Act

Dr. Christoph Holtwisch, spokesperson for the Studierendenwerke NRW working group and Managing Director of Studierendenwerk Münster:

“The financial support from the state of NRW also proved to be essential in 2023. The special grants from the NRW Crisis Management Act helped to curb price increases in the canteens and increases in social security contributions. Furthermore, thanks to the special grants for the psychosocial counseling services offered by the Studierendenwerke, it was possible to increase existing services and, in some cases, create completely new ones.

Ongoing support from the state government still necessary

Falling student numbers combined with rising costs are increasingly restricting the financial scope of the Studierendenwerke. This is where Dr. Christoph Holtwisch appeals to the state government:

“The planned increase in the general state subsidy by 3 percent in 2023 according to the coalition agreement between the CDU and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen must be made permanent so that the Studierendenwerke have financial planning security in these challenging times for society as a whole. Only with sufficient financial resources can the Studierendenwerke implement necessary reforms and modernizations in order to meet the changing needs of students.

The performance report is published annually on behalf of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Studierendenwerke NRW, c/o Kölner Studierendenwerk AöR.

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