18 - Germany - Organisational variations, alternative structures

Distance studies provide an alternative to attending a study institution in person. This form of learning enables students to organise their studies independently with no restrictions of a location or time-related nature and therefore to adapt their learning to suit their personal circumstances. Distance learning offers many people who are keen to study, but for whom conventional on-site learning at an institution of higher education would not be possible, the opportunity to attain the educational objectives associated with a course of study at a higher education institution.

The Fernuniversität (comprehensive university for distance studies) in Hagen, which was founded in 1974 as a comprehensive university of the Land of Nordrhein-Westfalen, is the sole university in the German-speaking world to offer courses of study by distance learning only and is the largest provider of distance learning facilities at university level in Germany. In the winter semester 2006/2007, the majority of the just less than 43,000 students at the Fernuniversitätselect part-time study that they complete in parallel with work. The Fernuniversitäthas a range of first degree courses on offer leading to Diplom, Magisterand Bachelor‘s degrees in six subject areas as well as special graduate studies (further study, supplementary and follow-up courses). The Fernuniversitäthas a network of distance learning centres in various towns in Germany, as well as in Austria, Switzerland and central and eastern European countries. Advice and supervision is provided for the students on-site at the study centres and sessions are run here in those periods when the students are actually required to attend classes during the distance learning courses.

Alongside the Fernuniversitätin Hagen, private Fernfachhochschulen or Fachhochschulen for distance studies offer distance learning courses of study all over Germany. The courses of distance learning these institutions of higher education have on offer fall within the field of business management and appropriate continuing qualification courses for engineers and computer specialists.

Even the institutions of higher education which students attend in person (Präsenzhochschulen), i.e. universities and Fachhochschulen, are becoming increasingly involved in distance learning. The Federal Government and the Länder are supporting this development through the joint research promotion issue of distance learning established in 1993 by the Commission of the Federation and the Länder for Educational Planning and Research Promotion (Bund-Länder-Kommission für Bildungsplanung und Forschungsförderung). Since then, additional new distance learning opportunities, which provide first degree courses as well as vocational, academic continuing education, have been established at Präsenzhochschulen. An electronic information system (http://www.online-studying.de) lists study courses and study modules at all German higher education institutions.

The development and employment of multimedia learning systems and appropriate network structures on the part of institutions of higher education plays an important part in the further development of the structure of distance learning and in the combination of distance and on-site teaching. Appropriate initiatives on the part both of the Federal Government and the majority of the Länder will be increasingly promoted. Multimedia studies and teaching offers have become particularly important in the field of continuing academic education.

A number of higher education institutions have joined forces to form distance learning associations (Fernstudienverbünde) with the aim of developing distance learning courses. This has made distance learning possible within distance learning associations as well as at individual institutions of higher education. Distance learning associations have been set up over the last few years at institutions of higher education in Länder in eastern Germany, including Berlin, in Bayern, in Nordrhein-Westfalen and in Rheinland-Pfalz together with Hessen and Saarland.

As an alternative to Berufsakademien, Fachhochschulen, especially in the fields of engineering and business administration, also offer so-called dual courses of study (duale Studiengänge) in the form of study courses which integrate vocational training and practical placements. The study courses which integrate vocational training link the study course with in-company training or with an occupation. The periods of study and work experience are distributed according to various models (sandwich or consecutive model) and subject to the Studienordnung (study regulations). Dual study courses at Fachhochschulenlead to two qualifications for entry into a profession: graduates are awarded a Diplomgrad, to which the word Fachhochschuleis added, or the Bachelor’s degree and, at the same time, they obtain the vocational training leaving certificate. In study courses which integrate practical placements, the students do more practical placements on a bigger scale, in addition the practical semesters required in study courses at a Fachhochschule.

Institutions:
Bund-Länder-Kommission für Bildungsplanung und Forschungsförderung (BLK)
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 38 53113 Bonn
Tel.:0228/5402-0
Fax:0228/5402-150
Website: http://www.blk-bonn.de

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