Elite Universities Get Funding Approved

Germany's state leaders on Thursday approved a 1.9 billion-euro spending package to foster the development of top universities and research institutes. The agreement, which was the subject of controversy for almost a year and a half, is now due to be signed into action by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. The money is to go towards the establishment of 30 new research centers at universities, 40 additional graduate colleges, and extra financial support for 10 universities that are competing to be upgraded into so-called "elite universities" in the same vein as the American "Ivy League."