Withdrawal from Platform X

Numerous academic institutions from the German-speaking world left Platform X in January 2025 following a widely recognised public appeal. By now, more than 120 universities and research institutes have joined the call to cease communication on X. This collective withdrawal underscores the scientific community’s commitment to values such as diversity, freedom, and academic integrity.

The decision for the joint "SciXit" is based on the assessment that the platform no longer meets the requirements for factual and respectful communication. Furthermore, scientific organisations emphasise the importance of resource efficiency: the time and energy spent on X can be used more effectively on other social networks to share research findings. Major institutions within the German Alliance of Science Organisations, including the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), and the German Science and Humanities Council, have also completed their withdrawal from X.

By taking this step, the participating institutions are sending a strong signal in favour of an open and constructive discussion culture and reaffirming their commitment to fact-based communication. Decentralised social media platforms such as Bluesky and Mastodon are often cited as alternatives to the former Twitter network. The non-profit "OpenPortability" platformExternal link facilitates the transfer of user data from X, making it easier to transition to open platforms.

Participating Institutions

• Academy of Fine Arts Nuremberg
• Alanus Hochschule für Kunst und Gesellschaft
• Anhalt University of Applied Sciences
• Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
• Berliner Hochschule für Technik
• Bielefeld University
• Brandenburg University of Technology
• Braunschweig University of Art (HBK)
• Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design
• Catholic University of Applied Sciences North Rhine-Westphalia
• Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
• Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS)
• Deutsche Ornithologische Gesellschaft
• Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln
• European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)
• Fachhochschule Dortmund
• Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik  (FBH)
• FernUniversität in Hagen
• Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
• Freie Universität Berlin
• Friedrich Schiller University Jena
• Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
• Furtwangen University
• German Association for Palliative Medicine
• German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE)
• Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
• Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
• Hamburg University of Music and Drama
• HAWK University of applied sciences and arts Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen
• Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
• Hochschule Bochum
• Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
• Hochschule Bremen
• Hochschule Darmstadt
• Hochschule der Bildenden Künste Saar
• Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde
• Hochschule für Philosophie München
• Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen
• Hochschule Landshut
• Hochschule München
• Hochschule Neubrandenburg
• Hochschule Osnabrück
• Hochschule RheinMain
• Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
• Ilmenau University of Technology
• Institute of Avian Research
• IU International University of Applied Sciences
• Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
• Justus-Liebig-Gesellschaft
• Kempten University of Applied Sciences
• Kiel University
• Kirchliche Hochschule Wuppertal
• Konstanz University of Applied Sciences
• Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research
• Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam (ZZF)
• Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT)
• Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy
• Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP)
• Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW)
• Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT)
• Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies (IOS)
• Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories
• Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI)
• Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID)
• Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN)
• Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB)
• Leibniz Institute of European History
• Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV)
• Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)
• Leibniz PostDoc Network
• Leibniz-Lab Pandemic Preparedness Hamburg
• Leibniz University Hannover
• Lutheran University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg
• Mainz University of Applied Sciences
• Max Weber Foundation - German Humanities Institutes Abroad
• Medical University of Innsbruck
• Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences
• Philipps-Universität Marburg
• Protestant University of Applied Sciences
• Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center
• Reutlingen University
• Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences
• RWTH Aachen
• Saarland University
• Senckenberg – Leibniz Institution for Biodiversity and Earth System Research
• Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt
• Technical University of Darmstadt
• Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola – University of Applied Sciences
• Technische Hochschule Köln
• Technische Hochschule Lübeck
• Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm
• Technische Hochschule Wildau – Technical University of Applied Sciences
• Technische Universität Braunschweig
• Technische Universität Dresden
• THM - University of Applied Sciences
• Trier University
• Ulm University
• Universität Bamberg
• Universität der Künste Berlin
• Universität Greifswald
• Universität Heidelberg
• Universität Hohenheim
• Universität Innsbruck
• Universität Konstanz
• Universität Münster
• Universität Siegen
• Universität Würzburg
• Universitiy of Regensburg
• University of Applied Sciences Potsdam
• University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern
• University of Art and Design
• University of Bayreuth
• University of Duisburg-Essen
• University of Erfurt
• University of Freiburg
• University of Göttingen
• University of Kassel
• University of Koblenz
• University of Lübeck
• University of Music and Theatre Munich
• University of Passau
• University of Potsdam
• University of Wuerzburg
• Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau - University of Applied Sciences
• WZB Berlin Social Science Center
• YMCA University of Applied Science
• Zeppelin University, Friedrichshafen