Educational Identification Proposal by Özdemir to Combat School Drops-Outs
In the educational landscape of Baden-Württemberg, a significant shift is underway. The state government has announced plans to introduce a digital student ID for the 2027/2028 school year, a move aimed at streamlining processes and providing a comprehensive view of a student's educational journey.
The proposal, led by Green politician Cem Özdemir, who previously held the position of Federal Minister of Education, has not been without controversy. The FDP has accused Özdemir of using the student ID proposal as a distraction from the real issues in education policy in Baden-Württemberg, citing a reported plummet in education levels over the past 14 years under the Green education policy of Winfried Kretschmann.
The student ID is intended to simplify processes such as school transfers and serve as an early warning system for potential dropouts. It would allow for viewing the entire breadth of a student's educational career, identifying gaps, strengths, and areas for promotion. The ID would be assigned to children on their first day in the school system and passed on from school to school.
However, the proposal has faced criticism from various quarters. The AfD has spoken of "total surveillance" of children, while the CDU state parliamentary group in Baden-Württemberg has criticized Özdemir's proposal as scattershot and symbolic. The SPD supports the proposal for a student ID, but only if it is nationwide. Özdemir envisions that a nationwide ID would be needed in the long term to ensure that students do not disappear from the radar when they move to another federal state.
Lower Saxony's red-green state government has also announced plans to introduce a digital identification number for students by 2027.
Enrollment and student ID use have become more formalized and digitized across Baden-Württemberg universities. From 2025, doctoral candidates must enroll to activate their official university ID and access services like online accounts, printing, and email systems. Students receive their physical student ID card in person after enrollment, which is needed for identification and access to university infrastructure and services. State-wide digital solutions like UniNow enhance this by offering digital IDs, smart bookings, and access controls, pushing toward a fully digital campus experience.
The student ID card unlocks access to many university services including library loans, printing, IT resources, WiFi (eduroam), and specialized digital platforms. Payment-wise, students pay a semester fee which includes a one-time fee (e.g., 9 euros) specifically for the student ID card. The abolition of general tuition fees for most students in Baden-Württemberg since 2017 makes the student ID a relatively low-cost gateway to education, although international students from outside the EU/EEA may face tuition fees separately.
There have been debates primarily about mandatory enrollment and related fees for doctoral candidates and non-EU international students. Enrollment became legally mandatory for doctoral candidates only recently (2025), adding administrative procedures for admission and issuance of the student ID. Tuition fees for international students from outside the EU/EEA can reach €1,500 per semester, causing criticism about access and fairness, although exemptions exist for some cases. Furthermore, some faculties may have different requirements for admission and ID issuance, complicating the process.
Overall, Baden-Württemberg is advancing toward seamless digital student identification and services, supporting a large, diverse academic community, while ongoing policy debates shape the student ID’s role and accessibility.
Table of Aspects:
| Aspect | Details | | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Progress | Mandatory enrollment for doctoral candidates (2025); digital IDs via UniNow; streamlined IT services | | Benefits | Access to university services, printing, online storage, WiFi; low-cost student ID fee | | Controversies | Mandatory enrollment rules; tuition fees for non-EU/EEA international students; procedural variations among faculties |
- The education-and-self-development policy in Baden-Württemberg has seen a significant shift, with the proposed introduction of a digital student ID aimed at streamlining processes and providing a comprehensive view of a student's journey.
- This proposal, led by Green politician Cem Özdemir, has faced criticism from various quarters, including the CDU and AfD, who view it as scattershot and question its implications for policy-and-legislation regarding student privacy and surveillance.
- In response to the proposed digital student ID, the Lower Saxony state government has also announced plans to introduce a similar ID, underscoring the importance of learning and education in the broader general-news landscape.
