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Diversity - one of the keys to higher education in Germany
By F. Dittmann |
March 5, 2009, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ONE of the outstanding features of Germany's higher education landscape is its diversity: It offers thousands of degree programs in more than 400 disciplines at almost 350 higher education institutions.
Almost any specialization or interdisciplinary research can be pursued. Students can choose among research-oriented programs at (comprehensive) universities (or university of technology), or more practice-focused courses at universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschule), or artistic programs at one of the colleges of art, film and music. The common denominator shared by all these institutions is high-quality academic training based on research.
This diversity of German higher education institutions may initially sound confusing, but it is actually one of its strengths. Applicants have the choice to take up a course that corresponds most closely with his or her individual skills, abilities, preferences, and interests.
The history of German universities dates back to the 14th century and they are proud of their traditions and nurture these. But that does not stop them from addressing and engaging in the advancing internationalization that is taking place in the education and labor markets.
In recent years, Germany's higher education institutions are passing through a period of extensive changes and reforms. Most noticeably, the degree system has changed in accordance with the so-called Bologna process initiated by the European Union.
Many higher education institutions have already established or are currently introducing internationally comparable Bachelor's and Master's programs.
This means that degrees and qualifications gained in Germany are internationally compatible. At the same time, this development makes it easier for students from abroad and overseas to enter and study at a German higher education institution. In addition, ever more multilingual degree programs are being offered; most of these programs are delivered in English and bring the students up to speed for the globalized employment market.
Germany is today the third most popular destination for international students worldwide. The number of students from China has been increasing continually since 1997. Today more than 27,000 Chinese students are studying at Germany's higher education institutions, many of them are aiming for a Master or PhD degree.
The internationalization of German universities is not limited to recruiting individual students to go abroad for a degree from a foreign institution.
Long-term cooperation
Internationalization also means long-term and sustainable cooperation between institutions. This most effectively manifests itself through jointly run academic programs.
For many years, the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst or DAAD) has played a vital role in the promotion of academic exchanges between Germany and China.
The DAAD is a joint organization of the German universities and one of the world's largest and most respected intermediary organizations in its field. The DAAD is responsible for promoting international academic relations, primarily through the exchange of students, academics and researchers.
The DAAD office in Beijing was opened in 1994, but the history of academic exchange dates back to the 1930s, when Ji Xianlin, the outstanding Indologist, received a DAAD scholarship to study at Goettingen University. When China started its opening and reform process 30 years ago, Germany was one of the first European countries to open its doors for Chinese students and scientists.
Since the late 90s, the DAAD has been encouraging academic partnerships between German and Chinese universities. These efforts have been fruitful: German-Chinese cooperation projects outnumber those of other European countries, and many of them gained an excellent reputation for the quality of the training offered. These joint German-Chinese programs come in various forms: from a term abroad as an integrated part of a course, Sino-German summer schools, to joint degree programs where students obtain a degree from the German and Chinese institutions.
A flagship of Sino-German cooperation is the CDHK (Chinese-German Graduate School), located at the Tongji University in Shanghai. This institution offers several Master's programs in business and engineering following a German curriculum that stresses the integration of theoretical and practical skills. The courses are taught by Chinese professors who obtained a German degree and by German guest professors. Graduates of the CDHK are highly welcomed by German companies - many of which sponsor chairs at the CDHK. Thus, the CDHK is a perfect example of a private-public partnership: The DAAD, Tongji University and German enterprises are funding and supporting the CDHK, and thus contributing to its success.
Apart from the Beijing Branch Office, the DAAD has also established an Information Center in Shanghai, located at the General Consulate of Germany in Shanghai, to respond to the growing demand for information on academic exchange between Germany and China. DAAD Information Center in Shanghai invites everyone to visit to get advice and reliable information about how to upgrade a career in Germany.
More detailed information about Germany's higher education system, also in Chinese, are available on the Website of the DAAD Beijing Branch Office www.daad.org.cn.
F. Dittmann is of the DAAD Beijing Branch Office
Almost any specialization or interdisciplinary research can be pursued. Students can choose among research-oriented programs at (comprehensive) universities (or university of technology), or more practice-focused courses at universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschule), or artistic programs at one of the colleges of art, film and music. The common denominator shared by all these institutions is high-quality academic training based on research.
This diversity of German higher education institutions may initially sound confusing, but it is actually one of its strengths. Applicants have the choice to take up a course that corresponds most closely with his or her individual skills, abilities, preferences, and interests.
The history of German universities dates back to the 14th century and they are proud of their traditions and nurture these. But that does not stop them from addressing and engaging in the advancing internationalization that is taking place in the education and labor markets.
In recent years, Germany's higher education institutions are passing through a period of extensive changes and reforms. Most noticeably, the degree system has changed in accordance with the so-called Bologna process initiated by the European Union.
Many higher education institutions have already established or are currently introducing internationally comparable Bachelor's and Master's programs.
This means that degrees and qualifications gained in Germany are internationally compatible. At the same time, this development makes it easier for students from abroad and overseas to enter and study at a German higher education institution. In addition, ever more multilingual degree programs are being offered; most of these programs are delivered in English and bring the students up to speed for the globalized employment market.
Germany is today the third most popular destination for international students worldwide. The number of students from China has been increasing continually since 1997. Today more than 27,000 Chinese students are studying at Germany's higher education institutions, many of them are aiming for a Master or PhD degree.
The internationalization of German universities is not limited to recruiting individual students to go abroad for a degree from a foreign institution.
Long-term cooperation
Internationalization also means long-term and sustainable cooperation between institutions. This most effectively manifests itself through jointly run academic programs.
For many years, the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst or DAAD) has played a vital role in the promotion of academic exchanges between Germany and China.
The DAAD is a joint organization of the German universities and one of the world's largest and most respected intermediary organizations in its field. The DAAD is responsible for promoting international academic relations, primarily through the exchange of students, academics and researchers.
The DAAD office in Beijing was opened in 1994, but the history of academic exchange dates back to the 1930s, when Ji Xianlin, the outstanding Indologist, received a DAAD scholarship to study at Goettingen University. When China started its opening and reform process 30 years ago, Germany was one of the first European countries to open its doors for Chinese students and scientists.
Since the late 90s, the DAAD has been encouraging academic partnerships between German and Chinese universities. These efforts have been fruitful: German-Chinese cooperation projects outnumber those of other European countries, and many of them gained an excellent reputation for the quality of the training offered. These joint German-Chinese programs come in various forms: from a term abroad as an integrated part of a course, Sino-German summer schools, to joint degree programs where students obtain a degree from the German and Chinese institutions.
A flagship of Sino-German cooperation is the CDHK (Chinese-German Graduate School), located at the Tongji University in Shanghai. This institution offers several Master's programs in business and engineering following a German curriculum that stresses the integration of theoretical and practical skills. The courses are taught by Chinese professors who obtained a German degree and by German guest professors. Graduates of the CDHK are highly welcomed by German companies - many of which sponsor chairs at the CDHK. Thus, the CDHK is a perfect example of a private-public partnership: The DAAD, Tongji University and German enterprises are funding and supporting the CDHK, and thus contributing to its success.
Apart from the Beijing Branch Office, the DAAD has also established an Information Center in Shanghai, located at the General Consulate of Germany in Shanghai, to respond to the growing demand for information on academic exchange between Germany and China. DAAD Information Center in Shanghai invites everyone to visit to get advice and reliable information about how to upgrade a career in Germany.
More detailed information about Germany's higher education system, also in Chinese, are available on the Website of the DAAD Beijing Branch Office www.daad.org.cn.
F. Dittmann is of the DAAD Beijing Branch Office
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