Review of the Year by IPU President Jan-Hendrik Olbertz

The previous year was overshadowed internationally by Russia's war against Ukraine, which continues with all its brutality. But in the second half of 2023 we were also shaken by the brutal attack by the Hamas brigades on several kibbutzim in southern Israel. It is within the legitimate right of the Jewish state to defend itself and address the militant threat posed by Hamas. As Germans, we have every reason to express solidarity with and support for Israel. Nevertheless, we must not overlook the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population. As we enter the new year, may efforts be directed towards finding a resolution to the conflict or at least a cessation of hostilities.

During the first months of the year, the IPU focused on completing the application for reaccreditation, including the right to confer doctoral degrees. As the previous year drew to a close, we officially adopted the new regulations for doctoral degrees, the conformity of which with the Berlin Higher Education Act (BerlHG) was confirmed by the Senate Administration. Simultaneously, the Diversity Working Group formulated the Gender Equality Plan and Quality Development and Assessment Regulations. In the initial weeks of the new year, the members of our Doctoral Commission diligently crafted our strategy to promote emerging scholars, gaining Senate approval on 23 March. This was followed by the research concept, which specified and summarized the IPU's research profile with its three focal points of "psychotherapy research", "transformation research" and "concept research". In addition, a statute to ensure good scientific practice had to be drawn up and a guideline governing the utilization of program allowances for projects funded by the DFG was adopted.

On 22 May, we successfully submitted all reaccreditation documents to the German Science and Humanities Council (WR). Simultaneously, we commenced the application process with the Senate Administration, receiving confirmation from the WR Secretary General on 7 June. The inspection is projected to take place in the latter half of 2024.

In 2023, a range of third-party funding applications received approval, and I'll highlight a notable selection here.

• Prof. Gavin Sullivan was successful with his participation in an international consortium for the HORIZON application "PLEDGE HORIZON-CL2-2023-DEMOCRACY-01-04 Politics of Grievance and Democratic Governance" (which involved 15 organizations, including the IPU), and securing an approval exceeding €250,000, equivalent to approximately 8% of the total funding amounte)..
• Prof. Andreas Hamburger secured close to €75,000 for the translation of Wolfgang Mertens' "Handbuch psychoanalytischer Grundbegriffe", funded by the Köhler Foundation)
• Additionally, Prof. Annette Streeck-Fischer and Prof. Lars Kuchinke received the same amount for their interdisciplinary therapy concept "Jugendliche mit Persönlichkeitsstörungen in der stationären Jugendhilfe" ("JuPiTher"). This represents seed funding from the innovation fund of the Joint Federal Committee, the highest self-governing body in the German healthcare system, to facilitate the preparation of the main application.

In 2023, the IPU continued its dedicated efforts to advance emerging scholars, emphasizing the significance of this initiative. A collaborative graduate school with the KKC Bochum commenced on 1 January, and the inauguration ceremony took place on 29 January, featuring Prof. Aladin El-Mafaalani (University of Osnabrück) as the keynote speaker. The Foundation to Promote University Psychoanalysis ("our" foundation) and the Köhler Foundation played a crucial role by enabling six doctoral scholarships, thereby establishing the foundational support for the college's academic program. Simultaneously, the IPU's independent doctoral program continued seamlessly, supported by additional scholarships from the foundation, including funding for doctoral students concurrently working on their theses and training.

Thematic classes for the Deutschlandstipendium were recently introduced, encompassing "Aggression and Violence" (supported by the foundation fund "Priv.-Doz. Dr. Harald Leupold-Löwenthal"), "Future" (sponsored by the Friedrich Foundation Hanover), and "Artificial Intelligence and Psychoanalysis" (backed by the IPU Sponsors and Fundraisers Association and the Foundation to Promote University Psychoanalysis).

Starting in the summer semester of 2024, a new award for emerging scholars, generously sponsored by Ida di Pietro, will be presented for an initial five-year period. This award specifically recognizes outstanding Master's theses accomplished by IPU students. The evaluation criteria will revolve around annually changing key topics predetermined by a jury, drawing inspiration from the works of Viennese psychoanalyst Harald Leupold-Löwenthal (1926-2006). These themes may include, for example, migration and war, the expulsion of the Freud family, and Freud's relationship with Judaism. Additionally, a recently established student council has commenced its activities, infusing a noticeable sense of vitality into student self-administration and participatory decision-making at the IPU.

In addition to our daily tasks in research, teaching, and self-administration, another intricate aspect of our focus was the real estate issue. We rented an additional floor in House 91a, partly to facilitate the expansion of the university outpatient clinic in House 3b, triggering complex discussions about future office utilization and occupancy. Simultaneously, negotiations persisted with our primary landlord, Quest, who is slated to allocate the entirety of House 3b to us in the future, albeit necessitating substantial renovation work. In the foreseeable future, we will need to vacate House 1 and 2, as the owners plan to demolish them, replacing them with a new building designated for alternative purposes. While this decision is not ideal, one advantage is that we will be moving into a complete building, providing the IPU with a distinct physical presence and eliminating the current scattered arrangement across the campus.

The executive board’s efforts in 2023 primarily centered around two key areas: preparing for reaccreditation, including the authorization to confer doctoral degrees, and strategizing for our future campus accommodations. These endeavors involved considerable input from our dedicated team members as well as external experts we asked for help. Juggling these priorities consumed a significant amount of energy and time throughout the year, running concurrently with the ongoing demands of daily teaching responsibilities and academic work in various research projects.

Moreover, considerable efforts were invested in preparing the recurring highlights on the IPU's event calendar. These included the IPU Annual Conference themed "Drive and Method" scheduled from 4 to 6 May, the Third International Erich Fromm Research Conference exploring "Humanistic Transformation" from 8 to 11 June, the Long Night of the Sciences on 17 June, University Day on 8 November, Career Day on 24 November, the Erich Fromm Lecture featuring Prof. Thomas Fuchs on 30 November, the earlier mentioned Strategy Forum on "Transformation Psychology" on 7 December and more. Concurrently, evening lectures, lecture series, library talks and events organized by KrIPU (Student Group for Psychoanalysis and Social Criticism at IPU Berlin) and the GreenIPU unfolded. In 2023, the GreenIPU launched a GreenOffice, a hub where all aspects of environmentally friendly university operations are consolidated in close collaboration with Facility Management.

As part of our international collaborations, we have successfully secured various funding applications through the DAAD, including Erasmus+ collaborations with both EU and non-EU countries, PROMOS for the years 2023 and 2024 (funding "Study and Internships Abroad"), STIBET I (funding "International Students"), and StuFen (funding "Refugee Aid"). Additionally, Prof. Mark Solms from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, will conclude his tenure in the Horst Kächele Visiting Professorship from April to July. In terms of international student exchanges, we realized a total of 91 mobilities up to and including the summer semester of 2023, and we received 48 new applications for the winter semester of 2023/24. Although our application for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master status project received a commendable rating of 76% (indicating very good), it did not secure approval due to a high number of competing applications. Efforts are now underway to prepare a new application. Additionally, we are in the process of preparing an application for the new DAAD program line "Fit," which aims to promote international talent for integration into studies and the job market. In October, the start of our new Master of Arts Psychology focusing on Organisation. Transformation Processes in Work, Society and Environment marked a great success.

Talking about cooperation, beyond the accomplished scientific reorientation of our university outpatient clinic, emphasizing group psychotherapy and the ongoing recruitment of additional therapists, we have also established the psychosis outpatient clinic. This clinic, formed through the collaboration of our outpatient clinic with the Charité Psychiatric University Clinic at St. Hedwig Hospital, focuses on treating patients with schizophrenic and schizoaffective psychoses. Furthermore, it engages in relevant research projects and provides students with valuable opportunities for practical clinical experience.

As part of our endeavors to secure accreditation for psychotherapist training from statutory health insurance funds, the Berlin Social Court issued a ruling on 6 September. The court mandated that the licensing and appeal committee of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians reassess our application, taking into consideration a comprehensive needs assessment. In response, we have filed an appeal challenging this decision, seeking direct authorization for our training program. Concurrently, the WIPU Board is actively engaged in delineating the prerequisites for obtaining accreditation for further training under the new law specifically tailored for the IPU.

The Communications team continued its efforts in creating the popular monthly psychoanalytical podcast "50 Minuten". Furthermore, the IPU website underwent updates, with special emphasis given to the research section. This included a link to the ongoing updates of research projects and the introduction of an "Emerging Scholars" section dedicated to the initial research endeavors of students.

Looking ahead to 2024, the key focal points are clear, especially considering it marks the 15th anniversary of the IPU—an occasion we aim to celebrate accordingly. Preparations are underway for the upcoming IPU annual conference scheduled from 25 to 27 April, themed around political psychology under the working title "Affect and Emotion." In the latter part of the year, we anticipate a scrutiny by the German Science and Humanities Council, as part of the institutional reaccreditation process. Additionally, plans are in motion for another Strategy Forum, and efforts will be directed towards the renewed application for the Erasmus Joint Degree. With a busy agenda ahead, it's fortunate that we have these moments to relax and take a deep breath.

On behalf of the university’s Executive Board, I extend warm wishes for a peaceful and joyful holiday season and a healthy, happy start to the year 2024.

Prof. Jan-Hendrik Olbertz
(President)