German Universities Go Global

German Universities Go Global

Ulrich Grothus

Director, Regional Office for the US & CanadaNew York

What Is DAAD?

German national agency for international academic cooperation and exchange

Independent association of universities

€ 300m / $ 435 million budget

> 50,000 people supported each year

I. Recent developments in German higher ed

II. What‘s in it for you?Future patterns of transatlantic mobility

III. Money makes the world go round: New trends in DAAD funding programs

Three Topics for Today

Some Basic Facts on German Higher Ed

360 Institutions of higher learning, of which:- 99 research universities- 158 universities of applied science (Fachhochschulen)- 50 colleges of fine arts and music

2 million students (37% of age group)

200,000 first degrees per year

Strong role of extra-university research institutes (Max Planck, Helmholtz, Fraunhofer etc.)

What Is Different?

97% of students in public institutions

Binary system of research universities / Fachhochschulen

Similar quality and employment prospects

No general education at university level

Vocational training not part of higher ed

Most students earn degree at Master’s level

Nominal, if any, tuition (€ 1,000 per year)

Little private giving

Smaller resources per student (~ $ 12,000

What Is Similar?

High drop out rates (~ 30%)

Long actual duration of studies (~ 6 years)

Public institutions run by states (Länder)

Most research funded by federal government

Comparable per capita research expenditure and research output

A Need for Reform

Mass university and excellence

Limited public budgets

Globalization and Europeanization:More compatible degree structures (and academic careers)

Keep Germany attractive as a destination for international students and scholars: a benchmark for domestic quality

The Reform Agenda

1. Reshape programs and degrees

2. Foster excellence in research and learning

3. Modernize governance

4. Internationalize institutions and market German higher education worldwide:2001-2003: > 100 m € special public funding

1. Reshape Programs and Degrees: The Bologna Process

More compatible three-tier degree structure

Gradual transition: now about 50% of first year students in new programs

Most Bachelor‘s programs: 3 years, some 3.5 or 4 years

Master‘s programs: 1 to 2 years

International degree programs taught in English:now more than 500 at all levels

Institutional strategies to promote Institutional strategies to promote top-level university researchtop-level university research

(9 universities, 13 m € p.a. each)(9 universities, 13 m € p.a. each)

Clusters of ExcellenceClusters of Excellence 37 Excellence Centres approx. 6.5 m € p.a. each

Graduate SchoolsGraduate Schools 39 Research Training Schools approx. 1 m € p.a. each

Jointly funded by federal and state governments (75/25%)

1.9 bn € over 5 years; 380 m € p.a.

2. Foster Excellence in Research: The Excellence Initiative

2. Foster Excellence in Learning

Universities now select their own students

Program rankings, i.a. CHE (Center for HE Dev’t)

English version published on DAAD website

An Example for a CHE Ranking

3. Modernize Governance

Stronger role of university heads

Introduction of Boards of Regents/Trustees

Performance-oriented funding

4. Internationalize Higher Ecucation:The Fourth Destination for International Students

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100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

1995

1997

1999

2001

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2005

Germany

USA

UK

France

Australia

Canada

High Participation Rates in Study Abroad(Advanced students with at least 1 semester abroad; in %)

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2

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6

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16

1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006

All disciplines

Sciences

Engineering

Source: Sozialerhebungen Deutsches Studentenwerk

4. Internationalization and Marketing (cont.)

International visiting faculty

Promote institutional links and partnerships

Launching offshore campuses

... and spread the word:

► Education fairs,► Media► Alumni networks► DAAD Young Ambassadors► Liaison offices of individual universities

Information Centres (IC) (46)Regional Offices (14)

The DAAD network : 60 Offices & Info Centers

What Is in It for You?Trends in Transatlantic Mobility

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

11000

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Germans inthe US

Americans inGermany (IIE)

Americansenrolled(Germanstatistics)

Current Patterns of Student Mobility

10,000 German students at North American universities, half of them graduate students

most undergrads take regular classes and get credit at home most grad students earn PhD, MBA, LLM degrees

6,500 North American students in Germany many in short, American faculty-led programs few graduate students few earn German degrees (ca. 175)

Likely Changes Post-Bologna

Patterns more similar – and more symmetric?

More need for structured study abroad programs in both directions

More transatlantic degree programs?EU-US Atlantis program

Shorter study abroad programs for German undergrads?

Less individual mobility for independent studies

A Surge in Graduate Mobility?

Germany (and and other European countries) more attractive for international graduate students (Master’s and PhD)

Large increase in demand of German/European students for international Master’s programs

New Trends in DAAD Funding Programs for North America

DAAD supports 2,400 Germans and 1,200 North Americans

Traditional emphasis on German (and American) studies and graduate students

And what is new?

Reaching out to undergraduates

Strengthen exchanges in science and engineering

Develop new short-term programs for Americans

Undergraduate Scholarships

Funding for study abroad, internships, or senior thesis research

Open to students in all fields

Previous knowledge of German not required, but advantageous

4-10 months during the German academic year

Around 60 awarded annually

RISE: Research Internships in Science and Engineering

American undergraduates work with German doctoral students in their labs for the summer (6-10 weeks)

No language requirement

Web-based matching process

Scholarships for students accepted by hosts

The First Four Years of RISE

Results: IIE Survey in 2006

Overall satisfaction: 97% (interns) / 86% (hosts)

92% consider working or studying in Germany again

60% had never been to Germany before, 57% had never learned German

30% enroll in German language class after return

“Ability to engage in practical, hands-on research” and “Desire to work/travel abroad” equally important motivations (60% each)

Moving Forward: Language and Companies

Adding a language component, starting in 2008:Two-week intensive language course for students with no or little German

RISE professional (since 2007) Internships for graduates and undergraduate DAAD alumni in companies

“Put Germany on your Resume”

17 new short-term programs taught in English at German universities

Developed especially with the needs of US students in mind

Business, engineering, biology, music composition, architecture, video art and more…

All receive DAAD support and our “Quality Seal”

internXchange

6 weeks of classes/excursions

5 weeks internship at media

In and around Berlin

Advanced intermediate German required

DAAD pays for tuition, scholarship and travel

Deadline: February 15

A New Program for Journalism Students

Further Information

www.daad.org (North American website)

www.daad.de (International website)

www.university-rankings.de (Program rankings in English)

www.higher-education-compass.de (Degree programs, includes English-taught programs)

DAAD New York weekly newsletter (subscribe at www.daad.org)