Introduction to the German System of Higher Education Wedigo de Vivanco Freie Universität Berlin

1. Introduction to the German System of Higher EducationWedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin Fulbright Seminar for U.S. Administrators in International Education 2007

3. Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

4. Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

5. Higher Education Framework Act[Hochschulrahmengesetz] • education is in the area of responsibility of the Länder(federal states) governments • 16 Länder in Germany, 16 different education and higher education acts • a coordinating body: Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK) secures mobility within Germany • the Hochschulrahmengesetz defines minimal standards binding for all states: admission, tuition (free, not anymore), academic career … Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

6. Statistics: Institutions 2007 • 383 Institutions of Higher Education • 124 Universities • 53 Music and Fine Arts Schools • 206 Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Science) • about 100 are private institutions financed by • 50 confessional, mostly training social workers • 50 private industry, mostly business schools Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

7. Statistics: Students 2006/2007 1 • 1.979.445 students • 1.377.444 Universities • 31.100 Music and Fine Arts Schools • 541.924 Fachhochschulen(Universities of Applied Science) • 295.091 Freshmen in 2006 • Approx. 34% of an age group go to college Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

8. Statistics Students 2006/2007 2 • 1.733.076 German Students • 1.197.930 at Universities • 22.636 at Music and Fine Arts Schools • 483.741 at Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Science) • 246.369 International Students • 179.514 at Universities • 8.464 at Music and Fine Arts Schools • 58.183 at Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Science) Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

9. Social Sciences Humanities Math and Science Engineering Medicine Fine Art and Music Agriculture and Food Sport Veterinary Medicine 610.836 419.540 358.541 321.899 111.202 79.516 40.013 29.135 7.794 Statistics Students 2006/2007 3 Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

10. Statistics: Degrees 2006 • 265.704 Awarded Degrees(25.971 Foreigners)134.069 Women = 50,46% • 132.727 Diplom, Magister, BA/MA (17.448) • 26.451 Teacher Qualification (Staatsexamen) (473) • 82.239 Diplom Fachhochschulen (4.785) • 24.287 PhDs (3.266) • in 2001: 1.097 Bachelor and Master Degrees (0,6%) in 2003: 11.491 Bachelor and Master Degrees (5,5%)in 2006: 26.318 Bachelor and Master Degrees (9,9%) Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

11. Sovietization of Higher Education • growing tendency to separate research and teaching as it was organized in the USSR • most research funding goes to institutions such as Max Planck Gesellschaft, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Leibnitz Gesellschaft, Helmholtz Gesellschaft etc. • universities are overloaded with teaching and find less and less time to do research: farewell to the Humboldt idea • BMBF funding : 4.9 Bill. € go to research institutions, 0.55 Bill. € to university research • in the USA approx. 80% of the research is done within universities: Humboldt is thriving Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

12. The Bologna Process • Signatory states of the Bologna Declaration (45 by now) agreed to introduce • a two tiered system: BA / MA • modularization of the curriculum • an European Credit Point System • accumulative grades: GPA • quality control by accreditation • European wide introduction by 2010 Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

13. The Bologna Process in Germany • Spring 2006: 36% of the study programs have been altered into BA/MA programs • i.e. 2.317 BA/B.Sc • 1.319 at the University level (+26 Arts) • 972 at the Fachhochschulen level • i.e. 1.777MA/M.Sc • 1.098 at the University level (+23 Arts) • 656 at the Fachhochschule level • only 1.261(30,8 %) of 4.094 BA/MA programs are accredited Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

14. BA/MA in SS 2006

15. Student Total and Students in BA/MA Programs 1999 - 2006

16. BA/MA by Federal States SS 2007 Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

17. Ranking of German Institutions • up to 1990 the common opinion was that all universities are equally qualified • then major German magazines such as Der Spiegel, Stern,Die Zeit, Focus publish annual ranking lists with different approaches • there was a tendency to rank the students’ assessments • Der Stern/CHE now Die Zeit/CHE did not rank institutions but programs. Generally accepted as approach Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

18. Women in Academia • 27% of the full time teachers are female • 40% women in academia are childless • more women than men qualify for access to higher education • more women than men start as students • more women than men achieve a degree • much less women achieve a Ph.D. degree • only a few achieve the Habilitation (second book) Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

19. Admission • until recently admission to higher education depended on the High School GPA only • exceptions are made at the Music and Fine Arts Schools as well as some Fachhochschulen • at present 60% of the students can be selected on grounds of additional criteria such as interviews, tests … • in the future up to 90% shall be admitted according to university rules: interviews, test … Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

20. Admission of International Students • Foundation of ASSIST to outsource admission • strict language requirements; i.e. DSH or TestDaF precondition for admission • there is an increasing number of courses taught in English Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

21. Student Housing • universities do not offer housing • 12.7% of all students are provided with student housing by the Studentenwerk • international students occupy approx. 12% of the publicly funded housing; • in Berlin approx. 40% of international students and only 6% German students rent Studentenwerk housing Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

22. Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

23. The Excellence Initiative • The Excellence initiative by the German federal and state governments to promote science and research at German Universities • Some facts in short • Goals of the 3 funding lines: • To promote 40 Graduate Schools (PhD Programs) • To promote 30 Clusters of Excellence • To identify approx. 10 Elite Universities in Germany • The Excellence initiative in general • 2 funding periods 2005/2006 • 2006/2007 Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

24. The Excellence Initiative • 6 stages for each funding Period: • Letters of intent of the universities • 3 months later: draft (25 pages) • 4 months later: first decision of the board of the national foundation on the basis of international panels: 1/3 of the drafts will be encouraged for application • 3 months later: delivery of the main application by the universities (75-120 pages) • 2 months later: Site visits • 3 months later: Decision by board (see above) consisting of 37 scientists and 32 politicians Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

25. Freie Universität Berlin – An International Network University • First decision in the Excellence initiative:Freie Universität Berlin has been asked for application in each of the 3 funding lines: • Graduate School (PhD Program): North American Studies • Cluster of Excellence: Governance in a Globalized World • Institutional Strategy to promote top-level research: Freie Universität Berlin – An International Network University Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

26. Freie Universität Berlin – An International Network University • Freie Universität proposes an integrated model of three centers: • The Center for Cluster Development • the analysis of tendencies of development in various disciplines • the rigorous and regular self-evaluation of research at the Freie Universität • the creation of potential “cluster groups” Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

27. Freie Universität Berlin – An International Network University • The Center for Graduate Studies (Dahlem Research School) • Introduction of course work for Ph. D. Students • Very selective admission to Graduate School • Provision of scholarships for PhD students in the Graduate School • The Center for International Exchange • hosting high profile scientific and scholarly events and publicizing the work of the Freie Universität and its excellence clusters • attracting young scientists and scholars and motivate them to study at the Freie Universität; and recruiting highly qualified scientists and scholars • opening or expanding branch offices in Moscow, New York, Beijing, Seoul Abu Dhabi, Sao Paulo and New Delhi Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin

28. Freie Universität Berlin – An International Network University • Thus the three centers complement each other: • the Center for Cluster Development generates research topics and assembles research teams which are reflected in the PhD study programs of the Dahlem Research School, while the Center for International Exchange works as the international facilitator for the other two centers through recruiting excellent students and top scholars and scientists as well as publicizing the scientific achievement of the FU. Dr. Wedigo de VivancoFreie Universität Berlin