German University System Tightens

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31409, 30 June 1967, Page 7

German University System Tightens

German universities are changing rapidly under “pressures and demands and social scrutinies of the present decade with its call for efficiency and results.” according to Mr A. N. Brooks, senior lecturer in Germanic languages at the University of Canterbury. Reporting on refresher leave spent mostly at Tubingen, a southern German town of 50,000 inhabitants, 10,600 of them students, Mr Brooks said they enjoyed “the prerogative or the folly of the Germany university system’s most cherished delusion: ‘akademische Freiheit’ and its privilege of ‘finding out for oneself’.”

Until now, German universities have muddled along happily enough with students

taking up to 10 years to complete the degree for teaching in a secondary school. More than half never graduated. Germany was now seeking to introduce more control and guidance with more direct teaching in university courses, Mr Brooks said. Examination reforms sought to rationalise and condense material taught and cut down the time spent drifting. Students would not be able to sit examinations beyond a given period. There were also threats of restricted numbers in the 19705. All this must spell the end of the old order. Already another big change to increase assistant teaching staff was in progress.

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