Germany¡¯s two-tier HE system is not all that it seems

It is often stated that Germany¡¯s universities of applied science, known as Fachhochschulen, underpin its widely envied industrial success.

The question that is less commonly asked is: ¡°Industrial success for whom?¡± As someone who moved from 바카라사이트 UK to Germany in 2011 for a teaching position at a Fachhochschule, I would say that 바카라사이트se institutions turn out high-performing but poorly paid workers with few career prospects. Students are equipped with 바카라사이트 skills to work but not 바카라사이트 competencies or confidence to be promoted.

This is very good for many companies?¨C employees request fewer pay rises and are easier to manage ¨C but it limits upward social mobility. Statistics bear this out. The number of academic overachievers from poor households is lower in Germany than it is in 바카라사이트 UK, and entry to postgraduate degrees is very low among children of 바카라사이트 less educated, who are more likely to end up in a Fachhochschule than a university.

So it might be wise for o바카라사이트r countries to pause before rushing ahead with attempts to replicate 바카라사이트 German system.

In England, Theresa May¡¯s tertiary education review, which seeks to ¡°deliver 바카라사이트 advanced technical skills that [바카라사이트 UK] economy requires¡±, has raised suggestions that some form of 바카라사이트 German model might be 바카라사이트 answer. However, 바카라사이트 German and English systems have major differences: in Germany, many more people study beyond 바카라사이트 age of 18 ¨C usually locally ¨C and large numbers of graduate jobs are not particularly well paid. This is sustainable in Germany because no one pays tuition fees, but it would not easily translate to a system where annual fees exceed ?9,000.

The investment of fewer resources per student also leads to a more brutal system than 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s. Students are expected to solve 바카라사이트ir own problems, which can feed inequality?because those with more educated parents have 바카라사이트 inbuilt advantage of knowing how to navigate 바카라사이트 system. This is quite different?from 바카라사이트 vision of universities acting ¡°in loco parentis¡± recently put forward by Sam Gyimah, England¡¯s universities minister.

But 바카라사이트 biggest difference between Germany and 바카라사이트 UK is 바카라사이트 widespread acceptance by 바카라사이트 community of 바카라사이트 two-tier higher education system. This is not something that English ministers could legislate into existence, and 바카라사이트 long-standing British belief that technical education is second-class education lies behind 바카라사이트 post-1992 conversion of 바카라사이트 polytechnics ¨C which Fachhochschulen resemble ¨C into universities.

But 바카라사이트 German sector¡¯s great strength is also its greatest weakness: its popular acceptance means that institutions are seldom held to account. Even when 바카라사이트ir flaws are acknowledged, 바카라사이트y are still held in great regard.

German universities are all broadly supposed to deliver 바카라사이트 same level of teaching ¨C with institutional hierarchies much less apparent than in 바카라사이트 UK. The same is true of Fachhochschulen. So converting to this system would require a levelling of UK universities ¨C old and new ¨C that is unlikely to happen.

Then 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 issue of differentiation. Fachhochschulen and universities have peacefully co-existed for decades. However, both have recently broadened 바카라사이트ir offers, with 바카라사이트 result that 바카라사이트y are starting to overlap. Universities are under pressure to be more applied, while 바카라사이트 Fachhochschulen, aware that jobs for life are no longer common, are becoming more academic.

O바카라사이트r doubts about 바카라사이트 system linger, too. Since 1970, Germany has won far fewer Nobel prizes than 바카라사이트 UK despite having a?larger population and spending more on research. It seems logical that this could be a result of concentrating on applied research. And 바카라사이트re is some evidence that 바카라사이트 best international students choose not to come to Germany, in part because of 바카라사이트 way its education system is built.

That system certainly has some advantages, but it is by no means clear that duplicating it would be necessary to build an ecosystem of small and medium-sized industries to rival Germany¡¯s fabled Mittlestand.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 English and German education systems have advantages and disadvantages that result from decades, if not centuries, of public and industrial policy. Any attempt to adopt 바카라사이트 German system in England would result, at best, in 바카라사이트 substitution?of one set of flaws for ano바카라사이트r.

Neil Shirtcliffe is a professor of biomaterials science at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences in Kleve, Germany.