University places are in great demand in Germany – every year, about half a million young people enrol in higher education. The overall number of university students in Germany is almost three million. Institutions of higher education are becoming increasingly international, offering an ever broader range of programmes for an ever more diverse student population.
422 institutions of higher education in Germany overall 21,958 study programmes at German universities in the 2023/24 winter term 2.87 million students at German universities in the 2023/24 winter term 56.4 percentage of new entrants to higher education in Germany in 2022
Higher education institutions which provide for good study conditions and a high quality of studies and teaching are key drivers for ensuring the skills base and thus for innovative strength. They train academic professionals and thereby make a major contribution to scientific, societal and economic progress and to safeguarding prosperity in our country.
High-quality study programmes enable the acquisition of expertise as well as critical and creative thinking. They open the door to the world of science and to interesting professional careers. The Future Contract for Strengthening Studying and Teaching in Higher Education and the Foundation for Innovation in Higher Education – two joint initiatives with the Länder – are examples of the Federal Government’s commitment to high-quality academic education. The aim is to lastingly improve and continuously develop the quality of academic teaching and learning.
Universities are hotspots of digital change, which they drive and shape at the same time. This trend has been fuelled by the Covid-19 pandemic and, most recently, by the broad impact of AI-based generative language models like ChatGPT. We at the Federal Education Ministry want to make higher education fit for the future. Our activities to support the digitalization of academic studies and the digital transformation of the higher education system generally focus on the following objectives and developments in particular:
Innovation in digital teaching and learning is not limited to technical innovations. It requires changes with regard to teaching methods, syllabuses and structures. The BMBF supports the digitalization of higher education with a broad range of measures. The successful digitalization of administration can facilitate matters for everyone involved. The Online Access Act (Onlinezugangsgesetz, OZG) requires us to provide online access to administrative services, for example in the application for a BAföG grant – see BAföG digital. Higher education institutions will develop even better quality in future if, as places of recurrent learning, they offer virtual, hybrid or on-premise courses that meet the needs of teachers and learners over a lifetime. Participation in international exchange is of key importance for many students during their time at university. Digitally supported education and exchange formats and their integration into the syllabuses can redefine student mobility and constitute a valuable supplement to physical transborder mobility. Students and teachers require additional skills in the digital society. These changed requirements, for example the ability to handle data carefully and look at sources critically, must increasingly be reflected in course content and syllabuses.
Improving the quality of higher education
Increasing the performance of universities in terms of infrastructure, organization and teaching
Individualizing lifelong learning pathways
Internationalizing universities as a European education network
Developing the digital skills of students, teachers and administrative staff
Editorial deadline for this text: 01.11.2024