Germany

• Governmental membership
  Germany has been a Governmental Member of EQAR since February 2008.

  Map: EHEA countries by governmental membership

• General information on higher education

  The tertiary education sector in Germany includes universities and equivalent institutions of higher education (Technische Hochschulen/Technische Universitäten, Pädagogische Hochschulen, theological colleges) Fachhochschulen (universities of applied sciences) and colleges of art and music.

  A number of establishments outside the formal higher education systems are offering equivalent higher education degrees: higher education offered by the Federal Armed Forces; Verwaltungsfachhochschulen offered by Länders and Berufsakademie where professional academies combine academic training with practical professional training.

  The legal basis of higher education in Germany is covered by the general Higher Education Act, by the legislation on higher education of the Länders (Hochschulgesetze), as well as the legislation regarding colleges of art and music and the legislation of Fachhochschulen of the Länders.

• National external quality assurance requirements

  A new legal basis has been established for the accreditation system in Germany, following the resolution of the Federal Constitutional Court on 17.02.2016

  • System Accreditation
    is optional, and enables the institution to self-accredit its study programmes. The accreditation is limited in time for a period of eight years.

  • Programme Accreditation
    applies for Bachelor and Master degree programs of state or state-recognized universities in Germany. The accreditation is obligatory unless the institution has a valid system accreditation.

• EHEA key commitment

  Fully aligned with the ESG

  A fully functioning quality assurance system is in operation nationwide, in which all higher education institutions are subject to regular external quality assurance by an agency that has successfully demonstrated compliance with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (ESG) through registration on EQAR

  Map: implementation of the EHEA key commitment

• Cross-border quality assurance

  Recognising EQAR-registered agencies as part of the national external QA requirements

  • Eligibility requirements for foreign agencies: Admission by the German Accreditation Council (GAC) is based on EQAR-registration

  • Conditions for the agencies’ work (e.g. criteria to be used): use of national standards and criteria (see below)

  • Recognition of reviews carried out by foreign agencies: Applications for program and system accreditation must be addressed to the German Accreditation Council.

  Map: recognition of cross-border quality assurance

• European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes

  European Approach available to some higher education institutions or only under specific conditions

  All German higher education institutions can opt for programme accreditation of joint degrees by an EQAR-registered agency using the European Approach, however not for joint programmes leading to double or multiple degrees.

  Map: availability of the European Approach for QA of Joint Programmes

• Permalink
  https://data.deqar.eu/country/64
• Further information

  • Regulatory documents (English)

  • Information on applications for accreditation (German)

  • Ministry responsible for higher education (Federal level)

  • The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (Landers level)

  • ENIC NARIC

  • Germany - European Higher Education Area

  • Decision by the German Accreditation Council on the admission of agencies (German)

  • German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Registered agencies operating in Germany