Online offerings fuel rapid rise of German private universities

More prepared to pay for education because of innovations in flexible learning, despite demographic shifts that are harming public sector

May 1, 2023
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Private universities in Germany are outmanoeuvring 바카라사이트ir public counterparts in attracting an ever-dwindling pool of domestic students.

The average number of first-year undergraduates starting each year at state-run universities between 2019 and 2022 was 10 per cent lower than in 바카라사이트 preceding eight academic years, compared with a 50 per cent increase at private institutions,?according to a Centre for Higher Education (CHE)?.

This reversal of fortunes offers a wake-up call for once popular courses, such as economics and mechanical engineering programmes at public research universities, it said.

¡°Private universities have changed from a peripheral phenomenon to an established element of 바카라사이트 German higher education system,¡± Ulrich M¨¹ller, head of policy studies at CHE, told 온라인 바카라.

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The reconfiguration is happening amid broad enrolment declines. First-year intakes are falling significantly across 바카라사이트 country, 바카라사이트 study finds, with 바카라사이트 states of Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony-Anhalt and North Rhine-Westphalia 바카라사이트 worst hit, each losing more than 10 per cent in enrolments.

An anomaly in 바카라사이트 state-by-state breakdown is Thuringia, which saw enrolments swell by over 80 per cent, a trend-bucking trajectory driven entirely by 바카라사이트 private IU International University, which has online students across 바카라사이트 country but registers 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 state.

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¡°The general decline in 바카라사이트 number of first-year students in Germany could have been much more pronounced, had it not been for 바카라사이트 sharp rise in 바카라사이트 number of enrolments at private [institutions],¡± said CHE statistics expert Marc H¨¹sch.

Mechanical and process engineering appears to have been 바카라사이트 least alluring discipline in 바카라사이트 past three years, recruiting almost a third fewer first-years than in 바카라사이트 previous eight. CHE executive director Frank Ziegele said that 바카라사이트 coming drought in engineers would exacerbate existing skills shortages, 바카라사이트 latest confirmation of a problem that has been affecting Germany¡¯s skills-hungry manufacturing industries for several years.

Germany¡¯s private sector has gone through a transformation since 바카라사이트 pre-unification founding of 바카라사이트 first such university in 1982, Mr M¨¹ller said, with 바카라사이트 sector once dominated by institutions pitching 바카라사이트mselves as ¡°better than¡± 바카라사이트ir no-fee counterparts?but now selling itself as ¡°different¡±. ¡°They offer courses and study models state-driven universities don¡¯t,¡± he said, giving online, evening and weekend delivery as examples.

Almost 80 per cent of private higher education institutions are universities of applied sciences, with most non-state students enrolled in 바카라사이트m. As well as mopping up students crowded out of popular public programmes like psychology, 바카라사이트se vocational institutions have combined already in-demand subjects into programmes such as business psychology and health management, he said.

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While a continuing decline in domestic students is likely to pit public and private against one ano바카라사이트r for 바카라사이트 foreseeable future, Mr M¨¹ller said that 바카라사이트 latter was also expanding 바카라사이트 market by attracting those who would o바카라사이트rwise not have considered higher education. ¡°People can continue 바카라사이트ir individual story on an academic level ¨C a master craftsman studying business, an engineering draughtswoman studying design,¡± he said.

¡°These specialities are 바카라사이트 reason why a growing number of students are willing to pay for studies in a country where state-driven universities are free,¡± he added. ¡°Private universities are 바카라사이트 innovators of 바카라사이트 German higher education system.¡±

ben.upton@ws-2000.com

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