Germany's state education and science ministers are to put more pressure on higher education institutions to revise the structure of new masters and bachelor courses, following angry student protests last summer. Federal Education Minister Annette Schavan welcomed the move, saying it would boost the Bologna process while simultaneously creating greater acceptance of the new degrees by everyone involved.

Key proposals of the state ministers include extending the stipulated length of studying, simplifying examination structures and easier credit transfer from institution to institution.

Referring to the implementation of the Bologna process Jan-Hendrik Olbertz, Saxony-Anhalt's Cultural Affairs Minister, said, "Reshaping the curricula should not merely mean halving traditional courses. Bachelors' courses need to be fundamentally newly conceived."

Students voiced their anger at the way the Bologna reforms were being implemented in various protest campaigns during the summer, criticising above all that too much was being crammed into individual courses without consistent concepts actually being prescribed.

"We welcome the new proposals," said Manfred Oberländer of the Berlin Student Union. "But will deeds really follow words?"

Despite their criticism of the implementation process, students do generally welcome the Bologna process as such.

Pointing to the results of a survey by INCHER, the International Centre for Higher Education Research Kassel, Schavan stressed that bachelor graduates had, all in all, good prospects on the labour market so far. She believes that as more bachelor students complete their courses, the greater diversification of career structures - both in terms of the larger number of possible degrees and of interrupting an academic career with vocational activities before going on to a master's degree - will add to their attractiveness.

Commenting on the State Ministers' call for more to be done to enhance mobility, Schavan said: "Industry and science are interested in graduates who can move around in an international context, speak other languages and have acquired intercultural skills. Universities must create more scope for stays abroad via windows of mobility and collaborative schemes in higher education."

Meanwhile, as talks on the formation of a new coalition government enter their final stages, no definite contender for the Education Minister's post has yet emerged although mention has been made of a new grant system for students and additional funding for specially gifted students. This could indicate a reform of the existing BAFöG student support system but no details have been given so far.

michael.gardner@uw-news.com

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