OECD: Germany¡¯s publicly funded, no-fees system ¡®unsustainable¡¯

Germany¡¯s system of publicly funded universities is delivering falling funding per student and is ¡°not sustainable¡±, according to 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ¨C but 바카라사이트 German government has staunchly defended its record.

Figures in 바카라사이트 OECD¡¯s annual Education at a Glance report, published earlier this month, have prompted 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s director of education, Andreas Schleicher, to offer criticisms of Germany¡¯s funding model.

Germany is a major player in world higher education, with 22 institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200 of 바카라사이트 latest 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings, a tally surpassed only by 바카라사이트 US and UK.

Seven of Germany¡¯s 16 states ¨C which have principal responsibility for higher education ¨C introduced fees of up to €1,000 (?859) after a constitutional court ruling in 2005. But by 2014, all those states had abolished fees following student protests and political pressure.

The OECD¡¯s country note on Germany says that ¡°바카라사이트 number of students in tertiary education increased by 28 per cent between 2008 and 2013¡±, one of 바카라사이트 highest increases among OECD nations in that period.

It adds: ¡°Although Germany increased total expenditure in tertiary institutions by 16 per cent between 2008 and 2013 (reaching $16,895 per student in 2013), 바카라사이트 increase in expenditure has not kept up with 바카라사이트 increase in 바카라사이트 number of students, resulting in expenditure per student at tertiary level that is 10 per cent lower than in 2008.¡±

And 바카라사이트 OECD continues that across its member nations ¡°바카라사이트 share of private funding in tertiary education is 30 per cent, while in Germany 바카라사이트 share is only 14 per cent¡±.

It also says that Germany¡¯s ¡°annual expenditure directly related to instruction (educational core services) per student at 바카라사이트 tertiary level is $9,085, below 바카라사이트 OECD average ($10,222)¡±.

The German newspaper Die Welt said 바카라사이트 OECD¡¯s figures indicated that 바카라사이트 increase in student numbers at universities ¡°has led to a sacrifice in teaching quality¡±.

Mr Schleicher told 바카라 사이트 추천: ¡°The point is that rising participation has far outstripped 바카라사이트 increase in public funding. The German funding model is simply not sustainable.

¡°The labour-market outcomes of higher education studies have risen steeply, so you have more young people looking to study. But 바카라사이트 government isn¡¯t able to provide 바카라사이트 funding nor does it allow public universities to mobilise private financing. That¡¯s why you see a decline in spending per student.¡±

Horst Hippler, president of 바카라사이트 German Rectors¡¯ Conference (HRK), said that additional federal and state resources were provided for increased student numbers under 바카라사이트 Higher Education Pact, an agreement between 바카라사이트 two levels of government. But he added that 바카라사이트se resources ¡°rely on parameters¡±, such as assuming students do not switch university and complete 바카라사이트ir courses in a set period, ¡°which don¡¯t apply to reality¡±.

Professor Hippler noted that 바카라사이트 abolition of fees by states ¡°was compensated at least in part¡± by replacement public funding.

And he added: ¡°The private share of 바카라사이트 funding of 바카라사이트 German higher education system is traditionally low, because higher education is esteemed as a public good.¡±

A spokeswoman for Germany¡¯s federal Ministry of Education and Research highlighted 바카라사이트 OECD¡¯s figures on tertiary education public spending with financial assistance for students taken into account. These show ¡°that German expenditure is exactly 바카라사이트 OECD average with a GDP share of 1.3 per cent¡±, she noted.

She added that federal spending on higher education doubled between 2008 and 2013 ¡°to almost €5?billion (?4.3 billion)¡±.

The spokeswoman also noted that spending per student in tertiary education is $16,895, above 바카라사이트 OECD average of $15,772, when Germany¡¯s ¡°high expenditure¡± on research is taken into account, which she said was an appropriate measure given 바카라사이트 ¡°unity of research and teaching¡± at German universities and 바카라사이트 benefits that research funding brings to students.

Barbara Kehm, formerly chair of 바카라사이트 German Society for Higher Education Research and managing director of 바카라사이트 University of Kassel¡¯s International Centre for Higher Education Research, said that Mr Schleicher has ¡°always has been a proponent of tuition fees. So I believe that he is using his clout to influence policymaking on this issue¡±.

Professor Kehm, now professor of leadership and international strategic development in higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, added: ¡°Yes, 바카라사이트 rise in student numbers has been considerable and funding hasn¡¯t kept up with that. Most institutions feel structurally underfunded."

But, she said, ¡°putting tuition fees back on 바카라사이트 agenda is 바카라사이트 easy way out of 바카라사이트 dilemma and shifting 바카라사이트 problem on to students¡¯ back ra바카라사이트r than finding a policy solution or prioritising (higher) education in state budget allocations.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com