Austria

Austria’s Ministry of Education recently announced plans to introduce tuition fees for the 2001-02 academic year. University and high school students demonstrated in Vienna and other academic cities to protest the decision.

— The Times Higher Education Supplement
Oct. 20, 2000

France

France has adopted a more consistently structured system of higher education that follows the provisions of the Bologna Declaration. In August 1999, the new qualification of mastaire was introduced, while a new vocational degree, the licence professionnelle, was introduced in November 1999.

Grades have also been revised (the concept of grade refers to a common level of studies whatever the area of specialization or training structure concerned). Until last year, there were three grades: the baccalauréat (upper secondary school-leaving certificate, or “bac + 0”); the licence “bac + 3”); and the doctorat (“bac + 8”).

Now, however, the newly introduced mastaire will be awarded to all those who hold a state certificate at the level of bac + 5. Such qualifications include the diplôme d’études supérieures spécialisées, titre d’ingénier diplôme, diplôme d’études approfondies, etc. None of the existing qualifications will be abolished. The same terms will apply to both universities and the grandes écoles.

The licence professionnelle will be awarded to anyone holding either general education qualifications (the diplôme d’études universitaires générales) or forms of vocational training qualifications (the brevet de technicien supérieur and the diplôme universitaire de technologie). The new degree is being introduced to make it easier for graduates of these programs to enter the job market. Again, none of the old qualifications will be abolished. The licence professionnelle degrees were first awarded in 2000.

— Eurydice News magazine
January – June 2000

Germany

Free University in Berlin recently launched Germany’s first academic program to combine biotechnology and computer science. Seventy-five students have enrolled in the program, which combines subjects such as biochemistry, genetics and medicine with mathematics and computer science.

The program was developed jointly by the Free University, Berlin’s Humboldt University, the Max-Planck Institute for Molecule Genetics and the Konrad Zuse Center for Information Technology. It is expected that the new program will boost the number of computer specialists, who are desperately needed in Germany.

— Qualified in Germany-News
Nov. 8, 2000

The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia will attempt to make its universities more internationally competitive by introducing research-oriented programs in 2001. The new programs will be interdisciplinary and at least 30 percent of the students will be non-German. Most of the courses will be taught in English.

— Qualified in Germany-News
Nov. 6, 2000

About 70,000 students drop out of German universities each year, double the number 20 years ago, according to a study by the Higher Education Information System.

But many do not think the high drop-out rate is a problem. Students with high-tech backgrounds can often land lucrative jobs in such fields as information technology and multimedia without having a degree. Up to 13 percent of dropouts have said they left school because of attractive job offers. Apparently, once students realize they can earn money and gain responsible positions without academic qualifications, there is little incentive to return to the classroom.

The high drop-out rate is unofficially tolerated to alleviate overcrowding in classrooms and lecture halls. Plans to introduce bachelor’s and master’s programs as a way of shortening the time it takes to earn a degree – and thus solving the problem of perpetual students, who can take six or seven years to complete a degree — are proceeding slowly. However, many German academics claim the bachelor’s degrees will only succeed in lowering standards.

— The Times Higher Education Supplement
May 12, 2000

Liechtenstein

Last fall, the optional tenth year of secondary school was revised to give students more freedom to plan and assess their education. Until then, this voluntary year had served as an option for those who were uncertain about what they wanted to do after compulsory education or for those who could not find work.

The revised program emphasizes computer-based courses and focuses on choosing a career, practical work experience and language study. Subjects are based largely on the needs of participants. At the end of the school year a written work certificate will supplement the regular school-leaving certificate based on grades.

— Eurydice News magazine
January-June 2000

United Kingdom

British institutions of higher education are lining up in droves to run two-year pilot programs for foundation degrees. Experts predict the new qualification will play a key role in the expansion of higher education, and many colleges and universities hope to cash in on the 5 million pounds earmarked for the startup of the prototypes.

Britain’s higher education minister said the proposed introduction of the foundation degrees is a “radical and direct response to employer demand for more and better trained technicians and associate professionals.”

Many professionals are concerned that the new qualification could threaten Higher National Diplomas by rebranding them as foundation degrees. A source from the Association of Colleges said the real question is “whether foundation degrees will attract an additional cohort of students or merely substitute the existing one.”

Institutions that have put in bids for prototype funding include top research universities such as the University of Warwick, which has teamed up with local colleges and businesses to propose a foundation degree in community enterprise and development.

— Times Higher Education Supplement
Oct. 27, 2000

Former Yugoslavia

The entire administration at the University of Belgrade was sacked recently after students and faculty members staged angry demonstrations to demand the repeal of a 1998 law that gave the minister of education sole authority to appoint university deans. The university is currently under temporary management.

At the University of Novi Sad, the rector and the entire managing board resigned under pressure while the deans of all but two of the school’s faculties also gave up their positions.

— CNN.com
Oct. 10, 2000