Introduction to university policy

Speaker: Ann-Catrin Gras

=Contents=

= Introduction=

"Higher education policy refers to policies that relate to the organisation, legitimisation and administration of the education sector."

Higher education policy has many faces: at different levels, in different forms (e.g. also associations, also BuFaK)

• Various organisations, e.g:
  • General organisation
    • BMBF
    • DHV
  • Student organisation
    • KASAP
    • BuFaK WiWi

The two levels of university policy

• 1. in the university (examples)
  • a. Academic self-administration
  • b. Presidential Board
  • c. Supervisory body such as the University Council
• 2. outside the university (examples):
  • a.State government
  • b.Federal government
  • c.Accreditation
  • d.German Student Union
    • do many different things in addition to running the canteen, which are financed by the student union fee (part of the semester fee)
• 3. other players
  • a. Trade unions
  • b. Networks

Excursus: What is accreditation?

When a new degree programme is introduced, it must be accredited. This is carried out by external examiners who look at the content, talk to students, check the framework conditions → students are also involved, accreditation pool is sent via the BuFaK

Legal basis

Higher Education Framework Act (HRG)

• General principles of participation: university members must not be disadvantaged due to their self-administration
  • Basis for negotiating compensation with the university, such as an extended standard period of study
• Student body §41
  • Representation also for international students
  • Supra-regional: university policy activities also at federal level
  • Contributions can be levied to fulfil the tasks

• Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG)
  • §20 Student body
  • Link to the overview of all state-specific laws:
    • https://www.kmk.org/dokumentation-statistik/rechtsvorschriften-lehrplaene/uebersicht-hochschulgesetze.html

• Case study Göttingen
  • Composition and overview at: https://asta.uni-goettingen.de/studentisches-engagement/selbstverwaltung/
  • Annual election of the StuPa - such matters are regulated in statutes, in Gö in the organisational statutes of the student body

Tasks

How can you become active?

• First of all: Join - whether by voting, joining,...
• Join committees and represent the student body

Position papers of the BuFaK WiWi

• Problem at federal level: student representation not really legitimised
• Many different groups nationwide that also represent different groups * consequently difficult to find a clear line here
• What do you do? → Draw up position papers to make points of view clear