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A new article examines qualitative interviews with administrative staff in state ministries of science.

Summary

The state ministries of science play a decisive role in shaping the science and higher education systems in the German federal states. However, there have been no studies examining the motivation of their employees to engage with scientific evidence – particularly findings in the field of science and higher education research. Through qualitative interviews with ministry officials, this paper explores how the ministerial work environment may affect their motivation to seek scientific knowledge. The study indicates that time commitment and job expectation are important for employees’ motivation. The findings are contextualized with the Basic Psychological Needs Theory. To enhance employees’ motivation to engage with scientific evidence, the study suggests ministerial incentive structures and a more intensive exchange with science and higher education research.

Jäger, V. (2025). Zwischen Zeitverpflichtung und Positionserwartung – Rahmenbedingungen für die Motivation zur wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissuche im Arbeitsalltag von Beschäftigten in deutschen Wissenschaftsministerien. Zeitschrift für empirische Hoch­schul­forschung, 8(1), 5-19. https://doi.org/10.3224/zehf.v8i1.02

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