WissDem: Initiative for
Democratic Academia

The Initiative for Democratic Academia (WissDem) was founded in autumn 2025 and is supported by a network of civil society and academic organisations. It responds to a climate of increasing attacks on research and teaching, and to the growing danger of anti-science tendencies within state and federal governments.

WissDem’s goal is to enable scientific institutions, networks, and professional associations to identify threats to academic freedom and university autonomy at an early stage and to counter authoritarian and anti-democratic attacks on institutions, researchers, and faculty. We support the development of effective preventive resilience strategies and the establishment of solidarity-based academic networks.

WissDem operates through informational webinars, resource guides, scenario-based workshops, and strategic networking. In cooperation with civil society, university, and non-university partners, we offer programs designed to strengthen legal, communication, and strategic competencies, specifically targeting university leadership, researchers, administrative staff, professional associations, and equality and anti-discrimination officers.