Germany‘s HE Sector. Private Universities & the Pros and Cons.

Wassim El Kadhi, MBABusiness Development Director

University of Applied Sciences Europe

ICEF Berlin 2019

Wassim El Kadhi, MBA2

What is Germany famous for?High Quality – Made in Germany

Football & Sports

Organisation skills

Medical care

Land ofideas

Beer

Cars

Bakery & Sausages

Castles & Palaces

Festivals & Carnivals

Christmas markets

Free tuitionat HE

institutes

Engineering

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Study Abroad: Main Decision Making FactorsStudents‘ Perspective

Factors Does Germany HE offer this?

1. Scholarships Yes, available at Private German universities in particular

2. Quality of teaching Yes, Germany‘s higher ed model holds true to the real value of universities.Far less commercial than many international competitors.

3. International Environment Very international – Especially Germany‘s larger cities are

4. Language Increasing number of universities offer English taught programmes

5. Lifestyle Cultural diversity, vivid nightlife, sports nation

6. Career Prospects / Future job 18 months post-study work permit. Germany‘s economy No.1 in Europe

7. Low tuition fee / affordability Public unis free of charge (admin fees still apply) & private unis comparably affordable. But also living costs lower than in anglo-saxon countries.

8. International recognition Germany‘s HE sector known for high standards. FIBAA accredited institutes, AACSB members, highly ranked German institutes in global rankings

9. Access to higher ed Here many educational agencies, students etc seem to struggle, possibly as German HE not known that much?

International Students Love Germany

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No.1 Non-English Speaking Study Abroad Destination

Germany‘s Job Market Is Booming

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Top Brands from Germany

75% of our graduates say: „Educating a strong personality facilitated the most my entry into a profession.“

Dream Jobs in Companies

Highest Employability

Salaries in EU

Affordable Cost of LivingOne of the main factors for students when they choose a destination

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Origin of International StudentsChina, India & Russia Top 3 Source Markets

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Student Migration to Germany from 2015 – 2017

International Enrolments in Germany YoY Growth

Country of origin 2015 2016 2017 2015 - 2016 3 year growthChina 30,529 32,268 34,997 5.70% 14.64%India 11,655 13,537 15,308 16.15% 31.34%Russia 11,534 11,413 11,295 -1.05% -2.07%Austria 9,875 10,129 10,575 2.57% 7.09%Italy 7,169 8,047 8,550 12.25% 19.26%Cameroon 6,672 7,106 7,425 6.50% 11.29%France 7,305 7,330 7,335 0.34% 0.41%Iran 5,916 6,449 7,123 9.01% 20.40%Ukraine 6,645 6,941 7,000 4.45% 5.34%Turkey 6,785 6,930 6,953 2.14% 2.48%Bulgaria 6,739 6,840 6,823 1.50% 1.25%Spain 5,746 5,939 6,220 3.36% 8.25%Poland 6,165 5,994 5,339 -2.77% -13.40%Indonesia 3,626 4,176 4,669 15.17% 28.76%Luxembourg 3,623 3,909 - 7.89% 0.00%

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Most preferred study fields:

37% Engineering 27% Law,

Economics, Business and Social

Sciences.

IT and Sports are becoming

increasingly popular.

Degree level: 36% Bachelor, 36% Master, 10%

PhD, 8% other degrees and 10%

non-degrees

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Types of German HE Institutes

• Universities (Universitäten) Academically-oriented study courses

• Technical Universities (Technische Universitäten/Hochschulen) Focus on engineering and natural sciences

• Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen) Place great emphasis on vocational training

• Colleges of Art and Music Right choice for more artistic students

• Berufsakademien (Professional Academies)

More information can be found under www.hochschulkompass.de/en/higher-education-institutions.html.

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Age

Main School(Hauptschule)

22.7%*

Elementary School (Grundschule)

Kindergarten

Middle School(Realschule)

24.4%*

ComprehensiveSchool

(Gesamtschule)

8.9%*

Spec

ial S

choo

ls(S

onde

rsch

ulen

)

Techn.Coll.F-Oberschule

Certificate University of Techn.

TrainingCollB. Fachschule

ABITUR Allgemeine Hochschulreifeentrance requirement for higher education

Techn.Coll.Fachschule

employment

Evening School(Sixth Form)

Beru

fsak

adem

ie

stud

yin

st. +

in-

com

pany

trai

ning

* grade 8, 2001

Sixth FormGymn. Oberstufe

Sixth FormGymn. Oberstufe

G8

( 5

plu

s

3

)**

** started in 2005

Access to German HE

Grade3 years3

Grammar School(Gymnasium)

29.5%*

University, collegesof higher education

etc.

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Dual Systemfirm + school

3 Years

13 years of pre-tertiary studies to enter HE

HE Admission Policies IFederal States responsible for HE legislation, administration and funding

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• You can take on a Bachelor‘s study in Germany if your foreignschool-leaving-certificate meets the requirements set by theGerman State Ministries of Culture and Sciences.

• You can use the DAAD database on admission requirements(currently information on 134 countries available) to check wetheryour higher education entrance qualification is recognised in Germany.

https://www.daad.de/deutschland/nachdeutschland/voraussetzungen/en/57293-daad-database-on-admission-requirements

• Even more detailed information on all countries can be found in theinformation portal on foreign qualifiactions (anabin) (Germany only).

https://anabin.kmk.org/anabin.html

• Both will tell you wether. And with which type of admission, director indirect, your qualifications make you eligible to study in Germany.

a

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HE Admission Policies IIUniversity admission policies vary from federal state to federal state

For example entry for int‘l school leaver. Studienkolleg mandatory or not?

North Rhine Westphalia Admission Law clause §49, 5 states that if a

student qualifies for HE in his home countrythen he also qualifies for direct entry toHE in NRW.

Bavaria Students need 13 year of pre-tertiary education.

If not, a Studienkolleg is mandatory to enter an HE institute.

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Public Universities vs Private Universities GermanyUltimate Comparison

Public Universities Private Universities

Recognition / Accreditation State-funded educational organisations Large number of state-accredited institutions

Tuition fees Free for domestic and internationalsCollect tuition fees for funding day-to-day operations, but lowenough to afford it. E.g. 1 year MBA in UK can be equal to the pricefor a whole course in a private university in Germany.

Admission CriteriaTendancy to face students with higher admission criteria. Numerous clausus for example due to overload ofapplications. Only a proportion of applicants are admitted.

Entering a private university in Germany must not be taken asgranted due to state accreditation & admission laws that also applyto private unis. But private unis are more likely to support studentsto find ways to be admitted.

Application Deadlines Usually, fix deadlines due to Uni Assist (similar to UCAS in UK). Mid July for WS and mid January for SS.

Fix deadlines as well, but usually are extended for up to a week to two before semester start date.

International Study Programs Also offer international programs. Number of international study programs in private universities isincreasing. Private unis quicker to respond to trends and demand. So generally more innovative degrees.

Graduates EmployabilityUniversity one chooses won‘t matter a lot. German universities enjoy a global reputation. Different surveys among German employersmeasured the rate of confidence in degrees from public and private institutes, and there where only minor differences in favour ofpublic unis.

Teacher Student Ratio Higher number of enrolled students means public universitieshave larger classes.

Smaller classes. A low teacher-student ratio contributes to a betterlearning environment, more personal training and more customisedteaching methodolgies.

Dropouts – International Students

Bachelor – 41%Master – 28%

Bachelor – 10%Master – 8%

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Public Universities vs Private Universities GermanyComparison - Summary

Public universities Private universities

Tuition fees NO YES

Entry requirements High standards Medium standards

Available places Limited Not-limited

Degree courses Many Limited

Modern facilties YES YES

Scholarships YES YES

Employability High High

Dropouts rate High Low

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Private Universities in GermanyNumber of private institutes increasing

• Only 10% of all HE institutes are private

• 19 private universities and 93 private Universities of Applied Sciences Number or private Universities has increased from only 23 in the 90‘s

• Why are they becoming more popular despite free tuition in public universities?

Smaller classes, higher professor-student ratio Variety of innovative study programs, also taught in English Valuable practice sessions Employable market-oriented skills Entry requirements not that stringent (no numerus clausus) Unique studying experience Many „accredited private unis“ guarantee quality of education, as national education

standards are still set by the government

Despite tuition fees the cost of attending a private German university is affordable comparedto som of the most popular study destinations

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Tips When Choosing a Private UniversityState-Accreditation key

• State-accreditation, but also international accreditations such as FIBAA, or AACSB membership are important

• Check out their ranking – usually CHE University Ranking

• Get an overview of the study courses and check the curriculums offered by the universities

• The more expensive a private university in Germany, the more likely its reputation and demand is higher Note: there is no certain governmental regulative mechanism that sets and controls tuition fee policies.

Universities set their own fees.

• University location

Big cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich always offer something outside of university life. Range of cultural and gastronomic offerings is huge.

Some might find the hustle and bustle of the big city too intense. Many interesting and beautiful smaller towns inGermany. Often cost of living is lower. Towns like Munster, Heidelberg, Iserlohn, Erfurt might be less known but offerhigh living standards and strong economies.

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T H A N K Y O U