Paper short abstract:

This paper argues that the growing need for third party funding in German academia comes along with a rise of practices officially marked as illegitimate and illegal while being tolerated or even supported for the benefits these practices provide for individuals, universities, and foundations alike.

Paper long abstract:

Following EU science policies from the 1990ies onwards, German universities were transformed into neoliberal institutions of private-public partnerships as traditional state funding was reduced while a growing number of foundations donated a growing amount of money for temporary contracts in the field of science and the humanities. Both categories of institutions, universities and foundations alike, rely on good reputation and trust. The foundations, non-profit organisations according to German tax law, range from big players as the German Research Foundation and the Volkswagen Foundation to foundations owned by smaller companies and families wanting to secure their assets. The universities and their employees are placed in a constant competition in order to secure their routines. An accepted strategy to cope with this challenge is violating the rules together with benevolent decision-makers, in this case study: women in positions of power at foundations and universities.