01 February 2005

EZA 657: Politics / Education Reform

Germany; university fees mark turning point in education policy, positive for Germanys competitive position
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SummaryThe ruling of the German constitutional court 26Jan, overturning the federal government’s ban on university fees marks a turning point in German university education policy. Official government doctrine – in contrast to the CDU/CSU – has so far been to broaden university access, irrespective of the economic relevance of the subjects, allegedly allowing a lowering of standards and quality of exams. The ruling – albeit only re-instating the role of the states in the field of education – has been perceived as an endorsement of CDU policy based on competition between universities, giving them more power in the selection of students. Although the immediate impact of the ruling may be limited, both as regards the level of the fees and the states concerned, it may lead to a general rethink of higher education policy in favour of a market oriented approach. Equally the ruling might spill-over into other areas of policy, such as the redistribution of political powers between states and federal government. Asset conclusions: no direct conclusions, but should begenerally seen as enhancing Germany’s competitive position.

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© Graham Bishop