For a long time, universities of applied sciences were considered second-tier players, but today they compete with renowned universities.
It all started with engineers
West Germany in the late 1960s. The economy needed personnel and technologies. Not only future professors, doctors, lawyers, and teachers wanted to gain knowledge, but also representatives of working-class professions. The situation was exacerbated by students of engineering schools: they were considered apprentices, not students. Their salaries were lower than those of university graduates, and their diplomas were not recognized in other European countries—the discontent of young engineers erupted into mass street protests.
Thus, the West German government decided on a reform. In 1969, a law was passed, after which higher specialized educational institutions were created on the basis of engineering schools, with the same legal status as universities—with one exception: they could not have their own graduate programs and award academic degrees.
The first universities of applied sciences appeared in Kiel, Flensburg, and Lübeck. Unlike universities, which provide classical academic education, they trained and still train personnel for practical work. The applied nature of education and cooperation with industry are characteristic of this type of institution even today.
University of Applied Sciences vs. University: Spot the Differences
“The biggest difference is the format of education. Universities lay a theoretical foundation of knowledge, and the student decides what to do with it later. In universities of applied sciences, students undergo professional training at an academic level,” Torben Sembritzki, a researcher at the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW), explains to Deutsche Welle.
Both types of institutions award bachelor's and master's degrees. Engineering sciences, architecture, design, applied sociology, medical technology—the range of study programs offered at universities of applied sciences is more limited. They do not train teachers, doctors, lawyers, or religious scholars. However, there are specialties that cannot be found at universities, such as social work. Universities of applied sciences offer diplomas for nursing specialists, midwives, and speech therapists. They also actively develop dual education—earning a degree while working.
“Universities of applied sciences were founded to train personnel for the regional economy. They prepare students for specific professions, taking into account employers' requirements. A graduate clearly knows what job they can do,” emphasizes the DZHW expert.
At universities of applied sciences, professors are professionals who have worked for many years in leadership positions in various sectors of the economy. They pass on their experience and have established contacts with industry. Joint projects with companies and mandatory internships are components of the curriculum.
At a university of applied sciences, there are 50 students per professor, while at a university, there are 64. The approach is more individualized, and the system resembles a school. At a university, students have more freedom; they are not “led by the hand” and learn to organize their studies independently.
Hidden Champions in Higher Education
There are twice as many universities of applied sciences as universities. But these institutions are hidden champions. They are not found in well-known rankings that consider the number of publications and research activity. Universities need to be visible in the global scientific community, while universities of applied sciences are local heroes.
“They conduct research on a smaller scale and mainly work with small and medium-sized enterprises in the region that cannot afford their own research and development department,” explains Torben Sembritzki.
Nevertheless, according to the researcher, in recent years, universities of applied sciences have been striving to assert themselves. They want to be taken seriously as scientific institutions at the international level. Many have changed their names. Now it is more common to see variants such as University of Applied Sciences (HAW), Technical University of Applied Sciences (TH), or even in English: University of Applied Sciences.
The most universities of applied sciences capable of competing with universities in terms of student numbers are in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse. The largest is the Cologne University of Applied Sciences. It educates 26,000 students from 120 countries in over 90 study programs. Leading institutions include Münster University of Applied Sciences, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, and Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. However, many universities of applied sciences are small and located in provincial areas.
Transfer from Science to Business and Problems with Graduate Programs
Formally, universities of applied sciences and universities have the same status. Universities have begun to pay more attention to practice, while universities of applied sciences are actively engaged in research. Biotechnology, technical automation solutions, medical informatics, robotics, Industry 4.0—these are areas where they concentrate their efforts. However, universities receive more funding for research. They also retain a monopoly on graduate programs (doctoral studies).
In theory, a graduate with a master's degree from a university of applied sciences can defend a dissertation at a university. In practice, it is more difficult for them to find a supervisor, and they are additionally required to attend seminars at the university or pass exams.
In recent years, progress has been made. Some universities of applied sciences have joint graduate colleges with universities. Since 2016, in Hesse, universities of applied sciences have received the right to their own graduate programs in fields where they actively conduct research. The pioneer was Fulda University of Applied Sciences. Now it is possible to defend a dissertation there in sociology, social work, and public health. In Schleswig-Holstein, a separate institute has been established that allows graduates of all universities of applied sciences in that federal state to obtain an academic degree.
Graduates' Chances in the Labor Market
In terms of the number of joint publications with companies and influence on the regional economy, universities of applied sciences outperform traditional universities. In the international U-Multirank ranking, for example, Nuremberg University of Applied Sciences and Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences rank second and third.
The economy is betting on universities of applied sciences – especially in the face of a shortage of skilled workers. The expert commission EFI, which advises the German government on science and innovation, calls for greater promotion of these institutions and an increase in the number of students from one to two thirds.
A study conducted by DZHW showed that graduates of these universities obtain permanent contracts faster than university graduates. And their starting salaries are slightly higher: on average, €40,200 gross per year with a degree from a university of applied sciences compared to €38,500 per year after a traditional university. However, over the next five years, earnings level out.
German companies particularly value graduates of Munich University of Applied Sciences. In a ranking compiled by the economic publication Wirtschaftswoche based on a survey of 500 employers, this university leads in the fields of "industrial engineering," "computer science," and "business informatics." The ESB Business School – a faculty of the university of applied sciences in Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg – is considered by employers to be the best place to study production economics. In the field of "mechanical engineering," Aachen University of Applied Sciences takes first place in the ranking, as it does in electrical engineering.