Weekly updates from the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
In 1999, 30 European countries, including Germany, signed the Bologna Declaration, committing to creating a European Higher Education Area by 2010. The goal was to harmonise study programmes and degrees, simplify the recognition of academic achievements, and enhance student mobility. Since then, Germany has continued advancing the implementation of the Bologna Process, focusing on enhancing degree structures, quality assurance, and recognition practices aligned with the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) goals.
The German government has demonstrated a comprehensive policy approach towards integrating international students and improving educational frameworks, supported by national initiatives and substantial funding commitments. However, challenges remain, particularly in student mobility and dropout rates.
Despite Germany's strong position in attracting international students, projected to reach over 400,000 by 2024-25, the full potential of intra-European mobility as envisaged by the Bologna Process is not completely realised. There is a persistent gap between mobility policy ambitions and actual student mobility flows, partly due to administrative, legal, and procedural hurdles that slow seamless credit recognition and mobility between institutions and countries.
Dropout rates continue to be a concern, reflecting challenges such as integration difficulties, language barriers, and differences in academic systems. While Germany’s Skilled Labour and Campus Initiatives provide improved support for international students, addressing dropout rates requires further targeted strategies to enhance student support services, academic advising, and recognition of prior learning.
Quality assurance and degree recognition have improved but still face hurdles in standardising procedures nationally to fully comply with Bologna commitments, which impacts student confidence in mobility and academic progression.
In a bid to improve the quality of education while maintaining stable student numbers, the German government has revitalised the "Zukunftsvertrag Studium und Lehre". The government also aims to better support socially disadvantaged groups and prioritise structural and financial improvements in this year's 29th BAföG reform.
On a different note, the Bundestag is debating the Solar Package this week, which aims to promote the expansion of photovoltaics. The draft bill also addresses other renewable energies and simplifies the use of biogas and energy storage. The final version of the coalition factions' draft bill will be voted on this week.
Additionally, the German government is working on a new law, the "Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz", which lays the foundation for retaining international students in Germany. The draft bill includes measures to facilitate the expansion of PV systems in both residential and commercial sectors.
Recipients of a survivor's pension will also receive a supplementary allowance, as passed in 2022 with the Disability Pension Improvement Act. The payment of the supplementary allowance will be done in two stages, with the simplified allowance being paid from July 2024 and the permanent calculation and payment starting from December 2025. The amount of the allowance depends on when the pension was first received and can be up to 7.5%.
Lastly, a joint motion by the coalition factions and the CDU/CSU parliamentary group proposes the introduction of a national Veterans' Day on June 15th each year. Since its establishment in 1955, over 10 million women and men have served in the German Armed Forces in more than 50 countries.
Sources: [1], [2], [5]
[1] Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (2021). Bologna-Prozess – Deutsche Initiative. Retrieved from https://www.bmbf.de/en/bologna-process-german-initiative-3886.html [2] Deutsches Studentenwerk (2021). Bologna-Prozess. Retrieved from https://www.studentenwerk.de/de/bologna-prozess [5] Deutsches Studentenwerk (2022). Bologna-Prozess – Herausforderungen und Perspektiven. Retrieved from https://www.studentenwerk.de/de/bologna-prozess-herausforderungen-und-perspektiven
- The German government's commitment to education-and-self-development and personal-growth is evident in their comprehensive policy approach towards integrating international students, focusing on enhancing degree structures, quality assurance, and recognition practices, as well as providing improved support through initiatives like the Skilled Labour and Campus Initiatives.
- Career-development is another area where the German government is investing, as demonstrated by their work on the "Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz", a new law aimed at retaining international students in Germany and facilitating the expansion of photovoltaics.
- In addition to education-related matters, the German government is also engaged in policy-and-legislation and politics, as illustrated by the ongoing debate in the Bundestag over the Solar Package, a bill aimed at promoting renewable energy, and the proposal for a national Veterans' Day to commemorate the service of over 10 million women and men in the German Armed Forces.
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