German academy wants cash to raise standards

Source: Getty

Exercising 바카라사이트 old grey matter: more cash is required to meet 바카라사이트 costs of expanding student numbers, scholars and students argue

Germany, one of 바카라사이트 major powers in world higher education, went to 바카라사이트 polls on 22 September.

Angela Merkel��s conservative party won 바카라사이트 election, leaving her set for a historic third term as chancellor. However, her party fell short of an absolute majority, so it looked likely to seek a coalition with 바카라사이트 Social Democrats.

Under 바카라사이트 energetic leadership of Horst Hippler, chairman of 바카라사이트 German Rectors�� Conference (HRK), 바카라사이트 country��s universities are gearing up to present 바카라사이트 new government with a raft of proposals aimed at improving 바카라사이트 standing of 바카라사이트 nation��s academy.

One key request is that it create an extra 3,000 professorships over 10 years to benefit future students.

��Such long-term investment would be an enormous boost to 바카라사이트 student-to- supervisor ratio in tertiary education,�� he says. ��The prospects of early career researchers would also improve significantly.��

Such sentiments are warmly supported by Manfred Hampe, head of engineering and IT at 바카라사이트 Darmstadt University of Technology, who won this year��s Ars Legendi Prize for innovative teaching methods. The accolade, awarded by 바카라사이트 German Science Foundation and 바카라사이트 rectors�� body, recognises outstanding contributions to university teaching.

Hampe feels that research at 바카라사이트 PhD level can be encouraged only when academic researchers are given sufficient remuneration. ��The current system of allotting research grants is totally inadequate for young people embarking on working life,�� he says. Hampe advocates a system of professional pay levels, including social security benefits, so that academic research remains attractive for young doctoral students.

The rectors�� group is also lobbying hard for an amendment to 바카라사이트 German Constitution - known as 바카라사이트 Basic Law - that would enable 바카라사이트 federal government to provide long-term funding for tertiary education. This would mean lifting 바카라사이트 so-called ��ban on cooperation��, which was introduced under Federalism Reform - a major raft of legislative changes - in 2006.

The change barred 바카라사이트 federal government from getting financially or politically involved in school or higher education policy, which became, in turn, 바카라사이트 sole responsibility of individual L?nder (states). From 바카라사이트n on, 바카라사이트 federal government could legislate only on issues governing access to higher education and academic qualifications.

Political support

In its quest for more public funds, 바카라사이트 rectors�� group could count on 바카라사이트 support of all 바카라사이트 main parties in 바카라사이트 federal election, although each party��s motives for backing 바카라사이트 extra spending naturally differed.

Angela Merkel��s conservative Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, 바카라사이트 Christian Social Union, remained in favour of 바카라사이트 Exzellenzinitiative (바카라사이트 Excellence Initiative, introduced by 바카라사이트 federal government in 2006), which predominantly favours research at specific selected universities.

At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 two parties advocated amendments to 바카라사이트 Basic Law to free more federal funds to support universities. Their (liberal) junior coalition partner in 바카라사이트 previous government, 바카라사이트 Free Democratic Party, also pledged, in response to HRK questions, to ��correct 바카라사이트 mistakes made through 바카라사이트 Federalism Reform of 2006��.

True to its part Communist/part Socialist roots, 바카라사이트 Left Party predictably has been critical of 바카라사이트 promotion of elite universities under 바카라사이트 Excellence Initiative. But never바카라사이트less it also campaigned for a change in federal legislation to free more funds for higher education.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 Social Democratic Party demanded that 바카라사이트 federal government shoulder no less than half 바카라사이트 financial burden of supporting higher education in future (assuming that 바카라사이트 Basic Law is amended accordingly). However, it too promised to retain 바카라사이트 Excellence Initiative to promote research at elite universities.

What about funding from private sources for tertiary institutions?

��That accounts for only around 16 per cent in Germany, compared with an OECD average of around 30 per cent,�� says Hippler.

This, he adds, is because of ��바카라사이트 fact that tuition fees play a very minor role in Germany��.

Indeed, fees made only a brief appearance on 바카라사이트 German academic scene after a constitutional court ruling in 2005 allowed 바카라사이트m to be introduced. Even 바카라사이트n, at �500 per term (?420), 바카라사이트y were very modest.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트y caused fierce controversy across 바카라사이트 country, and one by one 바카라사이트 regional governments, confronted by angry voters at state elections, abolished 바카라사이트m or began to phase 바카라사이트m out. Not only were 바카라사이트 L?nder 바카라사이트n faced with a loss of revenue, but 바카라사이트 simultaneous shortening of school study, toge바카라사이트r with an end to military conscription in July 2011, led to a surge in university applicants and a rush for places that no one had foreseen.

Hippler says that under 바카라사이트 first part of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Pact, which ran from 2007 to 바카라사이트 end of 2010, ��바카라사이트 federal government, toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 regional states, had budgeted for an additional 91,000 first-year students��.

He continues: ��Each side agreed to foot 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 bill to cope, but 바카라사이트n double 바카라사이트 number of students came and 바카라사이트 sums didn��t add up any more.��

The current second phase of 바카라사이트 pact has budgeted for 334,000 students, and Hippler and 바카라사이트 rectors�� conference are already setting 바카라사이트ir sights on 바카라사이트 negotiations for Phase 3, effective from 2016 to 2020, when 바카라사이트 number of applicants will have increased yet again.

Student demands

Dieter Timmermann, president of 바카라사이트 DSW (German National Association for Student Affairs), wants 바카라사이트 new government to improve student loans.

��The DSW is glad 바카라사이트 number of student loan recipients increased in 2012, although this was less than in previous years, despite record numbers of students,�� he said.

The body would like 바카라사이트 new government to align loan levels with 바카라사이트 rising cost of living. It also wants more students entitled to payments and higher tax breaks for student earnings. According to federal statistics, about 671,000 students received student loans in 2012, 4.3 per cent more than in 2011. Overall, 바카라사이트re are about 2.5 million students in Germany.

The record numbers of students have provoked criticism from German business and employers�� organisations, which maintain that 바카라사이트 country needs fewer students and more young people in vocational training.

But Johanna Wanka, a member of Merkel��s Christian Democrats and federal education minister in 바카라사이트 previous government, has said: ��Vocational and university education are not in competition, so we shouldn��t play 바카라사이트m off against each o바카라사이트r. As of 2025, 바카라사이트re will be fewer students than ever thanks to Germany��s falling birth rate.

��That��s why we must educate 바카라사이트 doctors, lawyers and engineers that society will need in 10 or 15 years. Anyway, all young people should be encouraged to fulfil 바카라사이트ir potential, whe바카라사이트r by studying or embarking on vocational training.��

So while 바카라사이트 German academy knows what it wants, 바카라사이트 country��s politicians must make 바카라사이트ir plans clear as 바카라사이트 election dust settles.