As early as January 10, 2025, more than 60 institutions had already left X with a widely recognized public appeal. Within weeks, the number of institutions exiting X doubled: 128 universities and research institutes have now joined the call to cease communication on the platform. Their collective withdrawal underscores the scientific community’s commitment to values such as diversity, freedom, and academic integrity.
The decision for a coordinated "SciXit"—the scientific "eXit"—is based on the assessment that X no longer meets the standards of objective and respectful communication. Additionally, research organizations emphasize resource efficiency: Time and energy spent on X can be used far more effectively on other social networks to share scientific findings and information. Major institutions within the Alliance of Science Organizations, including the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and the German Science and Humanities Council, have also withdrawn from X.
Decentralized social media platforms such as Bluesky and Mastodon are frequently cited as alternatives to the former Twitter. To promote these platforms and as a response to Elon Musk’s attempts to influence European democracies, several initiatives—including HelloQuitX from France and Vámonos Juntas from Spain—have joined forces to launch the "EscapeX" campaign. This initiative goes beyond a mere call to action: Through the non-profit platform OpenPortability (openportability.org), users can transfer their data from X, making the transition to open, independent networks easier.
Links:
Joint press statement on the withdrawal of German-speaking institutions form X
The 128 participating institutions from the German-speaking region:
- Academy of Fine Arts Nuremberg
- Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences
- Anhalt University of Applied Sciences
- Bauhaus University, Weimar
- Berlin University of the Arts
- Berliner Hochschule für Technik
- Bielefeld University
- Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg
- 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)
- City University of Applied Sciences Bremen
- Cologne University of Applied Sciences
- Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences
- European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)
- Fachhochschule Dortmund
- Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (FBH)
- FernUniversität in Hagen
- Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
- Free University of Berlin
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena
- Furtwangen University
- German Association for Palliative Medicine
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE)
- German Marine Research Alliance (DAM)
- German Ornithologists' Society
- German Sport University Cologne
- Goethe University 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 der Bildenden Künste Saar
- Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde
- Hochschule für Philosophie München
- Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen
- Hochschule Landshut
- Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences
- Hochschule Neubrandenburg
- Hochschule Osnabrück
- Hochschule RheinMain
- Humboldt University of Berlin
- Ilmenau University of Technology
- Institute of Avian Research
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB)
- IU International University of Applied Sciences
- Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
- Justus-Liebig-Gesellschaft
- Kempten University of Applied Sciences
- Kiel University
- 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 University Hannover
- Leibniz-Lab Pandemic Preparedness Hamburg
- 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
- Protestant University of Applied Sciences Ludwigsburg
- Protestant University Wuppertal
- 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
- Stuttgart Technical University of Applied Sciences
- Technical University of Applied Sciences Lübeck
- Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt
- Technical University of Braunschweig
- Technical University of Darmstadt
- Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola – University of Applied Sciences
- Technische Hochschule Nürnberg
- Technische Hochschule Wildau – Technical University of Applied Sciences
- THM - University of Applied Sciences
- Trier University
- TU Dresden
- Ulm University
- Universitiy of Bamberg
- Universitiy of Greifswald
- Universitiy of Heidelberg
- Universitiy of Hohenheim
- Universitiy of Innsbruck
- Universitiy of Konstanz
- Universitiy of Münster
- Universitiy of Regensburg
- Universitiy of Siegen
- University of Applied Sciences Potsdam
- University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern
- University of Bayreuth
- University of Duisburg-Essen
- University of Erfurt
- University of Erlangen–Nuremberg
- University of Freiburg
- University of Göttingen
- University of Kassel
- University of Koblenz
- University of Lübeck
- University of Marburg
- 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