Management Careers Made in Germany

Studying at Private German Universities Pays Off

Alexander P. Hansen, Annette Doll, Ajit Varma

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9789811371349
• eBook ISBN: 9789811371356
• Topic: Personal Development
• Subtopic: Careers

This book reveals how to provide the leaders of tomorrow with the right education for a management career Made in Germany. It explains how private universities in Germany are helping to maintain the country's respected educational standards, while also enriching them with exemplary services for international students.

The book is intended as a practical guide, addressing any concerns students may have when considering studying at a private German university: admissions, visa, teaching quality and formats, tuition, degrees, subjects, housing, food, security, industry connections, and international job placement and leadership. It provides concrete strategies on how students can unlock their personal earning potential and how to find a top job at a national or multinational company.

The authors demonstrate that a German university degree will generate rapid return on investment. Real-life success stories show how a degree from a private German university can pave the wayfor international professional success.

© The Author(s) 2019

Alexander P. Hansen, Annette Doll and Ajit VarmaManagement Careers Made in Germanyhttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7135-6_1

Begin Abstract

1. Private German Universities

Alexander P. Hansen¹ , Annette Doll² and Ajit Varma³

(1)

GCG Global Campus Germany GmbH, Bonn, Germany

(2)

Bonn, Germany

(3)

Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

Alexander P. Hansen

End Abstract

1.1 Introduction

This book serves as a guide to help you select the right subject and place to study. It demonstrates how to get a top education in Germany and obtain the degree you seek for a prosperous executive career. While Germany has a long tradition of high-value education across a variety of higher education institutions, this volume focuses on state-recognised private universities in Germany. This group currently comprises 117¹ of the 396 universities in Germany (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz 2018). This segment of the German university system has grown rapidly during the last decade. The book outlines these exciting advancements of private tertiary education in Germany. It provides you with facts and a catalogue of criteria for you to consider state-recognised private universities as an option for your education Made in Germany. In addition, this book offers many tips for your professional success, once you have decided on which university to attend. We show you concrete strategies to organise your studies so that money, time and effort is invested wisely, while still having time for fun. Numerous success stories of graduates give further insights into German private tertiary education. You learn about the income you can expect with your investment in private education in Germany, while keeping your personal purpose and inner balance in mind for a fulfilled professional life.

This chapter provides background information to explain the almost exponential growth of the private higher education sector in Germany. Based on this trend, we provide insider information in the form of specific tips for those interested in education Made in Germany. The second chapter informs you about student life in Germany. Which legal requirements need to be fulfilled? Is German essential? How about expenses, housing, food, security etc.? The third chapter outlines how the German educational quality standards are met and how you can get into private universities easily from abroad, irrespective of whether you seek an undergraduate or graduate degree at one of the many private university locations. You learn about available study formats, certificates and degrees offered. The benefits of an education based on students’ competence acquisition for their future work life are highlighted. Chapter 4 helps you to identify your strengths and shows how to focus on your goals. Further, it provides insight into the different subjects offered at private universities in Germany. You learn about degree programs offered in English and when it could be beneficial to study German. Chapter 5 describes the different kinds of private universities and new approaches to teaching. It helps you to select the best one for you, while also indicating the average earnings with a specific degree in Germany. The sixth chapter outlines regional differences in Germany, which may be relevant for your selection of the right university for you. It also covers valuable strategies to study efficiently, while still having phases for relaxation. Ways to select your first job and how you refine your leadership qualities are the subject of the final Chapter 7. Throughout the book you find practical tips for your education. Testimonials of alumni, experts and executives provide valuable insights into private German higher education and the job prospects associated with it. These verifiable accounts of recent graduates exemplify how a degree from a private German university can be the cornerstone for your prosperity via a Management Career Made in Germany.

1.2 The Private Higher Education Sector in Germany

Currently, the global number of students amounts to almost 210 million studying at more than 25,000 universities. More than one-third of those students are from only two countries—China and India. In Germany, the number of students has reached the highest number on record with more than 2.8 million in the winter semester 2016/2017 and has risen further since. About half the number of pupils from a particular birth year studies nowadays in Germany (Dräger and Ziegele 2015). In order to accommodate this growing number of students, Germany has increased its public educational capacity. In doing so, the country also hopes to gain highly qualified experts for the economy’s future needs (Wissenschaftsrat 2018).

As a consequence of the educational demand several new universities were founded. The number of state and state-recognised universities has increased substantially during the last 20 years to 396 (2018). They offer almost 20,000 degree courses (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz 2018). By far the largest growth in the number of universities took place in the private tertiary education sector. Currently, 156 universities are state-recognised private universities² (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz 2018).

More than one-third of universities in Germany are private.

Approximately one-third of the universities in Germany are privately owned (see link at the end of this book). Furthermore, from 1995–2016 the relative proportion of students at private universities has grown significantly more than at public universities (Fig. 1.1).

Fig. 1.1

Distribution of students in public, private and ecclesial universities in the years 1995–2016. The number of students in public universities is expressed as a tenth fraction (Statistisches Bundesamt 2017)

Early 2018, almost 10% of all students in Germany studied at private universities. The over proportional growth of private universities may be attributed to the very demand- and service-oriented as well as logistically flexible education programs offered by private universities, leading to much lower drop-out numbers in state-accredited, private education institutions.

Private universities in Germany are service- and demand-oriented, leading to very low drop-outs and high job-placement rates.

It is widely agreed that a tertiary education is a very good investment in the future. The lifetime salary of university degree holders at around 2.3 million Euros is roughly one million higher than the lifetime income of people without a university degree (Fig. 1.2).

Fig. 1.2

Lifetime income according to qualification (Schmillen and Stüber 2014)

A university education is an excellent investment in your future, leading to a much higher lifetime income.

A university degree leads to a substantially higher lifetime income.

Additionally, in recent years unemployment of academics in Germany was very low, 2.6% in 2017. Economists speak about full employment at such a low rate of unemployment. Consequently, the trend to get an academic education is continuing and getting stronger. It has led to increased competition among institutions of higher education (Doll and Hansen 2019).

In recent years, private universities have become attractive to German and international companies that invest in education institutions, such as Career Partner GmbH, Cognos AG, Klett Group, Laureate International Universities, SRH Higher Education GmbH and others. Such education companies hold large portions of the market. Single private universities carry a smaller market share in terms of student numbers than groups of universities belonging to an investment or education company. Many private universities cover a range of different educational formats and offer degree courses for bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degrees as well as certificates for continued professional education. Professionals use the latter option in order to refine their knowledge and to keep pace with new developments in their field. At times such certificate courses are offered in cooperation with companies that want to address the education needs of their staff. Since public universities mostly continue to teach the conventional body of knowledge attributed to a specific discipline and do not focus much on demand-oriented education, the last decade has seen the founding of many new private universities aiming to address this gap in the market.

To ensure quality standards in this new market, the German Council of Science and Humanities (Wissenschaftsrat, WR) regularly examines private universities in Germany since 2001 upon the request of the federal and state governments. It evaluates the entrepreneurial and academic capacity, the staffing levels, as well as the organisational structure of private German universities. Subsequently, the WR recommends to the state governments whether an individual private university should get state recognition or not. This control mechanism protects the students as well as future employers (Himmelrath 2015).

Private universities in Germany are regularly examined by the German Council of Science and Humanities for quality assurance purposes.

Private German universities offer more than 2000 degree programs in many subjects.

Private universities offer more than 2000 degree programs in many subjects, although the largest portion of degree programs (61%) can be found in the area of law, economics and social sciences. Other programs offered range from STEM (science, technology, enginee...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Front Matter
• 1. Private German Universities
• 2. Student Life in Germany
• 3. Premium Education at Private German Universities
• 4. Subjects for Successful Careers
• 5. Private German Universities Unlock Your Earning Potential
• 6. Setting Goals and Organising Your Studies Is Your Key to Your Success
• 7. Preparing Global Leaders for Tomorrow
• Back Matter