| Abstract: | After the Federal Constitutional Court, in 1976, had confirmed the personal right of access to universities, political discussions to “open up Higher Education” (Öffnung der Hochschulen)intensified. Specific laws and regulations were passed relative to the mobilization of all capacities. During the following years, the number of first‐year students grew in an unforeseen way, but the percentage of graduates decreased. In 1986, intensive activities for analyzing the situation and for developing solutions for numerous problems began; however, an anticipated “Educational Summit conference” has been postponed by the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany to the summer of 1993. The interests which are in conflict concern mainly the democratization of higher education (including the individual right of access), responses to future needs, budget cuts, and the improvement of the quality of teaching. This article surveys the development of the problem, describes activities for analyzing the situation and the development of solutions, and suggests perspectives for future developments. |
