Opening up Higher Education for New Target Groups:

1. Openingup Higher Education forNew Target Groups: The Situation of University Lifelong Learning in Germany in a Comparative European Perspective Andrä Wolter Paper presented at theSRHE seminar: „Pushing at the Academy Doors: International Developments in HE-basedLifelong Learning“ SRHE, London, 19 June 2014

2. Contents • Introduction: The newpolicyinterest in openinguphighereducation • Whatarelifelonglearners in highereducation? • Non-traditional students in German highereducation • Continuinghighereducation in Germany • The European perspective: The Eurostudent-project • Non-traditional routes in Europe • Part-time studies • Conclusion

3. The newpolicyinterest in openingup HE (1) In the past, only a marginal topic on the higher education policy agenda in Germany (2) Reasons:  widespread perception of a massive student overload  LLL as a responsibility of the continuing education system independent from higher education  hierarchy of missions of higher education: from research to LLL  constructionof an antagonismbetweenacademic excellence andopeninguniversities (3) Situation haschanged a bitsince ~ 2000 3

4. Driving forces behind the new interest in widening participation (1) Expected demographic change → concern about a massive decline in the number of students → mobilizing new target groups as a compensatory strategy • Increasing need for a highly qualified workforce and the growing concern about a shortage of qualified labour force (3) European stimuli: - lifelong learning as a part of the Bologna process - permeability between vocational and higher education (Copenhagen process and EQF) (4) Strategies of institutional profiling and diversification (5) The diversity discourse concerning the composition of the student body 4

5. Lifelong Learners in Higher Education: Different Types (1) Second chancelearners: Second andthirdeducational route in Germany (studyentitlement after VET) (2) Equity groups:under-representedgroups (firstgeneration) (3) Deferrers: break betweenleavingschool (withstudyentitlement) andenrollment (4) Recurrentlearners:returningtouniversityfor a seconddegree (5) Returners:drop-outanddrop-in (6) Refreshers:refreshingskillsandknowledgebycontinuingeducation at universitylevel Learners in laterlife Basedon a comparativestudyincluding 14 countries (Schuetze/Slowey 2012)

6. Focus on twogroupsoflifelonglearners Often LLL identified with continuing education → extended understanding of LLL including the complete life-course Initial higher education: Non-traditional students (so called third educational route) as a sub-group of second chance learners Continuing higher education: refreshers Many new initiatives, programs and measures in the last years to open up higher education 6

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8. Regulations in Germany • NTS: Focus on (4) access and admission, together with (3) life-course • Four admission models: - admission exam/aptitude test - conditional admission/trial studies - admission after interview/consultation but without test - automatic granting of admission for owners of further education degrees • Different regulations in the 16 German states 8

9. Proportion of non-traditional first-year students (%), 2000 – 2012 Source: Statistisches Bundesamt, Hochschulstatistik 9

10. German first-year students at universities and colleges (ISCED 5A) in winter semester 2010/11 by type of entitlement to study (in %) 10 Source: Bildungsbericht 2012

11. Reasons for the small proportion of non-traditional students in Germany • Lack oftransparencyandinformationconcerningadmissionprerequisitesandprocedures • Resistance or disapproval by the universities (argument of individual deficits in the study proficiency) • Lack of flexibility in the organization of studies and the delivery modes • Lack of flexible admission procedures (including recognition of prior learning) 11

12. Continuing higher education in Germany Can beinstitutionalized at different levels:  as a degreeprogram (mostly MA courses) • as a non-degreeprogram (but with a certificate) • as a kindof liberal education: publicunderstandingofhumanitiesandsciences (PUSH) • in-house provision in companies • in outsourcedinstitutions ► Paradigmshift in themissionofuniversitycontinuingeducation: frompurposelessacademiceducationfor a non-academic/academicpublicto a marketandresourcesorientedstrategyofeducationalmanagement

13. Share ofhighereducationinstitutions in the total continuingeducationprovisions in Germany (source: AES)

14. Non-traditional students:different international approaches • Age (e.g. older than 25) • Participation: groups underrepresented in higher education • Life-course: winding biographical paths to higher education, often with a vocational background • Access and admission: alternative often non-school routes to higher education • Modes of studying: e.g. part-time, distance, parallel to work 14

15. Framework scheme for the different routes into higher education Source: EUROSTUDENT IV

16. Students entering higher education through an alternative route Source: EUROSTUDENT IV 2008-2011

17. Share of students studying part-time 17 Source: UOE, own calculations

18. Conclusions ► Germany as a „delayed“ nationwithrespecttotheimplementationof LLL structures in HE ► Manydifferencesbetween countries: in some countries a larger proportionof LLL students, in others not ► Mythof a contrastbetweenopeningtheuniversityandacademic excellence ► Openinguniversitiesforlifelonglearningdoes not meanopeningupforeveryoneorrenunciationofrequirementsandstandards ► Openingupforlifelonglearnersadresseshighlyqualifiedgroups ► Noarbitrariness („anythinggoes“) in universitylifelonglearning

19. Thank you very much for your attention! Email: andrae.wolter@hu-berlin.de 19