Germany's former Education Minister remains without doctorate

Former German Minister of Education, Annette Schavan, lost the court case today that she filed against the University of Düsseldorf with regards to the revocation of her doctorate in February 2013. She was convinced that the university had not followed correct procedures, and had asked the VG Düsseldorf to reinstate her doctorate for this reason.

The court was very clear in stating that the university had, indeed, followed correct procedures. All of the media in Germany are reporting, here are a few links (Spiegel - Tagesspiegel - University Düsseldorf press release - blogs Erbloggtes with Twitter highlights and poetry and Causa Schavan).

Schavan had communicated prior to the decision that she would continue on to the upper courts if she lost, after the decision she stated that she is examining her options. Many people are suggesting, via Twitter, that she should "do a [Uli] Hoeneß" and accept the court's decision. That would, indeed, be the best. In almost all cases in which a person who has had their doctorate rescinded took the university to court, the university has won. In the one case that I am aware of in which a university lost, they immediately began the procedures again and rescinded the doctorate properly.