Universities support mobility and permeability in the education system

"The resolution is aimed at universities, federal states and the federal government as well as non-university education and training stakeholders. We want to facilitate lifelong flexible learning by means of coordinated standards and with recommendations suitable for the target audience," explains HRK president Professor Peter-André Alt. He explains that low barriers in terms of recognition (of skills acquired in higher education) and crediting (of skills acquired outside higher education) contribute to the permeability of the education system and promote national and international mobility.

The universities are committed in the paper to a "recognition" culture in higher education with the aim of regulating recognition and crediting processes across universities in a binding and student-friendly manner as well as digitalising processes and communicating these transparently.

The federal government and federal states are also called to action. For example, the mutual improvement of permeability between vocational and (further) university-based education and training should be supported by means of even closer cooperation between universities and other stakeholders, and basic university funding should be increased to reflect the additional tasks.

The HRK calls for vocational education and training (VET) to increase the awarding of credit in VET for competencies gained through higher education, and for competence and learning outcome orientation to be promoted in vocational education and training in order to ensure a common basis for examination.

"Universities, federal states, federal government and non-university education and training stakeholders should work together to improve recognition and crediting practice in Germany. A holistic approach such as this is necessary for Germany to be able to fully exploit the potential of our top-performing education system," emphasised HRK President Alt.