The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has adopted a package of new measures aiming to support the achievement of mobility objectives set in the context of the Bologna Process. It is however worthwhile saying that the mobility objective set by BMBF and DAAD is far more ambitious than the Bologna 20 percent target by 2020; the two German institutions aim to boost the proportion of graduates that had a study period, internship or language course abroad up to 50 percent of all graduates.

The Bologna package gives further financial support to DAAD’s mobility programmes (in the total amount of EUR 22 million). The actions to be supported include the development of double and joint degree programmes; of the International Study and Training Partnerships (ISAP); the BACHELOR PLUS programme that funds four year Bachelor programmes with an integrated mobility window; and the set-up of a new programme, PROMOS, to increase the mobility of students (including of doctoral candidates) and which will enable universities to administer the award of scholarships themselves.

More funding for higher education was announced at the national Bologna conference which took place in Berlin on 17 May, and where the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research presented the new “Quality Initiative for Teaching”. About EUR 2 billion will be provided for the next ten years to improve the quality of teaching at German universities, and to help the latter better advise students. An Academy for Teaching and Learning will develop innovative concepts in terms of studying and teaching and play a decisive role in the initiative.

DAAD

German Ministry for Education and Research

German Rector's Conference