Wr w i s s e n s c h a f t s r a t the german council of science and humanities provides advice to the german federal government and the state governments

wr w i s s e n s c h a f t s r a t

t h e g e r m a n c o u n c i l o f s c i e n c e a n d h u m a n i t i e s p r o v i d e s a d v i c e t o t h e g e r m a n f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t a n d t h e s t a t e g o v e r n m e n t s o n t h e s t r u c t u r e a n d d e v e l o p m e n t o f h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n a n d r e s e a r c h .

The German grading system, and the distribution of grades in German Higher Education

Political implications of grading

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Kristiane Prescha | German Council of Science and Humanities | Conference on Grading | Oslo | 22 10 2015

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German Council of Science and Humanities (WR)

Reports on university grades 2003, 2007 and 2012Commentary 2012: Recommendations of the Council

Scientific Commission

_ Scientists_ Personalities from Public LifeAdministrative

Commission

_ Federal Ministry (Bund)_ State Ministries (Länder)

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Com

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Gro

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85 employees in 5 depart-ments in Cologne

_ Evaluation

_ Higher Education

_ Medicine

_ Research Policy

_ University Investments and Accreditation



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_ Compiled from data of the Federal Statistical Office

_ Focus on comparison between universities

_ Presentation of average grades and grade distribution for most subjects

_ Results of all three reports: • very stable specific subject traditions with very good grades in some subjects (e.g. biology)

• often only a small part of the grading scale is used

_ Additional results of the last report: • grade inflation from 2005 to 2011 • in many subjects the Master grades are a bit above and the Bachelor grades a bit below the average of all degrees

Reports on university grades 2003, 2007 and 20121. Data, focus and results



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Total number of graduates: 593

Grade average at all universities: 2,6

Reports on university grades 2003, 2007 and 20122. Example: Bachelor Law and Master Biology 2010

Total number of graduates: 524

Grade average at all universities: 1,5

University (Number of Graduates) Average grade

University (Number of Graduates) Average grade



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_ Grades have documentation function; they assess performance, give feedback to graduates and provide information for prospective employers and universities (e.g. providers of Master programs). _ Ideally the system of grades should be based on common criteria and quality standards.

_ Marking is in practice highly influenced by contextual comparisons (e.g. with the performance of the cohort) and dependent on when, where and in which subject grades were awarded.

Commentary 2012:1. Function and nature of grades



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_ Faculties should reconsider their marking criteria if grades differ very much from other universities’ grades and this deviation cannot be explained by factors like recruitment of above average students or a strong selection in the course of studies.

_ Rectors and deans should try to define consistent quality standards in their university or department.

_ Scientific communities should identify joint criteria and quality standards in their subject in order to make grades comparable between universities.

Commentary 2012:2. Recommendations on standards



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_ Selection in the admission process (e.g. in psychology) or during studies (e.g. in the natural sciences) is high, therefore only the best students remain.

_ Pressure is high, thus current generation of students could in fact be better than earlier generations [but on the other hand a much larger share of the population obtains a university degree than in former generations].

_ It is to the disadvantage of good students if everyone gets good grades.

Commentary 2012: 3. Some reactions to the recommendations



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_ Bachelor grades are an important criterion for admission to Master programs._ In selecting graduates from other universities for Master programs, universities rely on meaningful and comparable grades._ It is in universities‘ own interest as well as a question of fairness to reach an agreement on marking standards that guarantee to a large extent the comparability of Bachelor grades in the same subject and in related subjects and thus the selection of the best candidates for Master programs._ Percent ranges help to rank a result in the reference system but still the dependence on the reference group remains._ Universities have to find valid and legally binding procedures for the admission to Master programs which take drawbacks of grades into account.

Commentary 2012:4. Admission to Master programs



t h e g e r m a n c o u n c i l o f s c i e n c e a n d h u m a n i t i e s p r o v i d e s a d v i c e t o t h e g e r m a n f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t a n d t h e s t a t e g o v e r n m e n t s o n t h e s t r u c t u r e a n d d e v e l o p m e n t o f h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n a n d r e s e a r c h .

Thank you very much for your attention!

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Wr w i s s e n s c h a f t s r a t the german council of science and humanities provides advice to the german federal government and the state governments