Higher Education in UK vs Germany

The assignment analyzes and contrasts the higher education systems of the United Kingdom and Germany. It delves into aspects such as tuition fees, academic reputation, and research investments in both countries. The analysis aims to determine which country offers a more favorable environment for pursuing higher education based on these factors.

Autumn 17
English for Academic Purposes 1 (EAP 1) Portfolio (EAPA3004) RESIT
Name:
Student Number:
Tutor name:
This is your EAP 1Portfolio. Please save a copy on your computer and back it up regularly (e.g. by saving it on
your computer / in the cloud (e.g. Google Drive) / emailing it to yourself. You will receive a printed copy which
you should bring to all lectures and tutorials. However, at the end of the course, you need to submit a
completed electronic copy. Please refer to suggested word counts for each task included within this portfolio.
Assessed Learning Outcomes (LOs):
1. Produce cohesive and coherent elements of academic writing.
2. Read, compare and summarise written academic texts.
Week Contents Page Learning
Outcome
Section 1: Portfolio Evidence

(These tasks will often be drafted in class and are designed to inform the written task in section 2.
Suggested word counts are included are in brackets.)
1 Portfolio evidence I: Self-evaluation checklist 3 LO 1 & 2
4 Portfolio evidence II: Summarising
(recommended word count: 100)
4 LO 1 & 2
4-5 Portfolio evidence III: Outline
(recommended word count: 100)
6 LO 2
6 Portfolio evidence IV: Paragraph structure
(recommended word count: 250)
7 LO 2
9 Portfolio evidence V: Self-assessment
(recommended word count: at least 100)
8 LO 1 & 2
Section 2: Written Task
(The written task should be developed throughout the semester but completed in weeks 7-10.)
1 - 10 Academic writing [compare and contrast essay relevant to higher
education]
(word count: 750 words)
10 LO 1 & 2
Total word count: Written Task (750 words) + Evidence (Approx. 850 words)
(+/- 10%)
Section 1: Portfolio Evidence I
Self-evaluation checklist
Below is a list of the skills you will need when working on extended pieces of writing during your university
career. The work you do on the EAP 1 course will help you develop these skills.
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Tick the appropriate box for each skill, according to how well you think you can do this at
the beginning of this course. Look again at the checklist throughout the course in order to
identify areas for independent study.
Skills Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
Looking for information
Identify which books/journals/websites to use ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Select relevant parts of a text ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Using sources
Acknowledge sources of information ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Avoid plagiarism ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Planning/ writing
Brainstorm ideas ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Plan written work ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Link ideas effectively ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Paraphrase & summarise ideas ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write an introduction ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write a conclusion ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Personal study
Work independently ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Manage my time ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Oral presentation
Discuss written work in a tutorial ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
IT
Access the internet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Use search engines ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Create word documents ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
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Section 1: Portfolio Evidence II
Summarising (recommended word count: 100)
1. Find a text on university fees in the country of your choice (around 200 words) and paste it below, in part
1. Then, read the two texts and highlight the main points.
PART 1:
Text 1:
University fees in England
Text 2 (paste your text below):
University fees in…………………..
“University tuition fees in England will rise to £9,250 per
year from 2017 and the increase could apply to students
who have already started courses. The inflation-linked
rise represents a 2.8% increase and if that continued
would mean fees rising above £10,000 in the next few
years. Universities face the dilemma that under
consumer protection requirements they will need to
announce the £9,250 fee before the beginning of the next
application cycle in early September. However, until
formally changed by Parliament, universities are not
allowed to charge a fee higher than £9,000, which is the
current limit.
The government says the increase can apply to students who
have already begun courses - but this will depend on the terms
of student contracts in individual universities. The fees will
increase in subsequent years. Royal Holloway and the
University of Kent have to still to decide on whether to charge
higher fees for current students, but expect to apply them to
new students starting in 2017, if the fee limit increase goes
ahead. The University of Surrey will not increase fees for its
current undergraduates, but fees will increase each year for
students starting in 2017.
Universities minister Jo Johnson has published a statement
setting out plans to link higher fees to better teaching. Liberal
Democrat university spokeswoman Baroness Lorely Burt said:
"Linking fees to teaching quality in this way is unacceptable.
Enabling any university that scrapes a 'meet expectations'
rating to increase fees by 2.8% shows that this isn't about
teaching quality at all. If universities need further support then
let's have a proper discussion about where that money comes
from, rather than pretending that this is somehow a quid pro
quo for providing the quality of teaching students should
already be able to expect". Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the
Sutton Trust education charity, said the fee increase will add to
student debts that we have shown to be by far the highest in
the English-speaking world. A real concern is that the removal
of maintenance grants will almost certainly deter poorer
students, who now face debts of over £50,000 on graduation”.
From: Coughlan, S. (2017). University tuition fees rise to £9,250
for current students –BBC News. [online] BBC News. Available
at:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36856026 [Accessed
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19 Jan. 2017].
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2.Make some notes of the most important points, using your own words, in part 2 below.
PART 2:
Notes (Text 1): Notes (Text 2):
Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text.
3. Answer the question in part 3 below, using your notes.
PART 3:
What are the similarities and differences between universities in England and………………………….in
relation to tuition fees? Why are they important?
Click here to enter text.
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Section 1: Portfolio Evidence III
Outline (recommended word count: 200)
Complete your essay outline below. An outline is a map of the main ideas included in your essay. You should
not write full sentences, just notes of the main points that you are going to write in each paragraph of your
essay, along with in-text referencing details (MB=Main Body).
TITLE Click here to enter text.
INTRODUCTION Background Information:
Click here to enter text.
Thesis Statement:
Click here to enter text.
MB Paragraph 1 Paragraph Focus: ……………………………..
Country A: England Country B: ……………………..
Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text.
MB Paragraph 2 Paragraph Focus: …………………………………..
Country A: England Country B: ……………………..
Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text.
CONCLUSION Summary of main points
Click here to enter text.
Recommendations/suggestions/predictions
Click here to enter text.
Section 1: Portfolio Evidence IV
Paragraph structure (recommended word count: 300, including notes)
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Write a MB paragraph for your essay below (funding OR quality).Then, highlight its parts using a different
colour for each one of them. Use the following colour code:
Topic sentence: RED
Country A (England): BLUE
Country B (……………………): GREEN
Concluding sentence: ORANGE
In-text reference: PURPLE
Write your paragraph here. Then, colour the different parts.
Click here to enter text.
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Section 1: Portfolio Evidence V
Essay self-assessment form (recommended word count: 100)
Complete this form before you submit your portfolio.
Type a few comments below in relation to how well you have
addressed the following criteria in your essay.
ESSAY STRUCTURE
A. Has a clear structure including an
introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion
& bibliography.
Click here to enter text.
B. Has a clear thesis statement that states
the sub-topics and position.
Click here to enter text.
C. Has clear topic sentences in each main
body paragraph.
Click here to enter text.
D. Has features of an essay not a report,
i.e. no headings, no bullet points etc.
Click here to enter text.
CONTENT
E. Has compared directly between the two
countries in each paragraph.
Click here to enter text.
F. Has commented on what we learn from
the comparisons.
Click here to enter text.
G. Has included suitable background
information in the introduction.
Click here to enter text.
H. Has included a suitable summary and
position in the conclusion.
Click here to enter text.
I. Has written 750 words (+/- 10%). Click here to enter text.
USE OF SOURCES AND REFERENCING
J. Has a minimum of 2 sources per
paragraph.
Click here to enter text.
K. Has in-text citations which follow
Harvard style. E.g. (Coughlan, 2014).
Click here to enter text.
M. Has avoided plagiarism. Click here to enter text.
USE OF ENGLISH
N. Writes accurate sentences. Click here to enter text.
O. Spells and punctuates accurately. Click here to enter text.
P. Uses a range of language. Click here to enter text.
Q. Writes in an appropriate academic
style.
Click here to enter text.
Things you feel competent at (approx. 50 words):
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Click here to enter text.
Things you need to work on (approx. 50 words):
Click here to enter text.
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Section 2: Written Task
Academic Writing (750 words)
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Please type your essay below (750 words).Your chosen country should be different from the country you may
have chosen in a previous term.
Make sure that:
 Your essay has an appropriate title, an introduction, two main body paragraphs, a
conclusionand a reference list.
 You have used at least 2 references (in-text citations) in each of your main body
paragraphs (at least 4 references in total).
 You have discussed BOTH countries in EACH of your main body paragraphs (point-by-
point approach).
Title: Compare and contrast the higher education system in England with that of
Germany in terms of funding and quality. Which system is preferable?
Introduction
Higher education is one of the most important phrases of learning in the lives of a student. It is
imperative that students are enrolled in a school that provides education of the best quality. Thus, while
providing quality education, the fees that are taken from the students are also high. The report focuses on the
funding and quality of education in England and Germany. Comparison and contrast are made between the
countries in order to understand the differences in the higher education process of both the countries. The
analysis is based on the subjects being taught and the funding structure that is adopted in both countries.
Higher education in England
England is one of the countries with a higher education sector in Europe. The population of the
country is comparatively less than other countries in the world. However, due to the existence of reputed
universities in London, Oxford and Edinburgh, students from around the world enrol in the universities of the
UK for higher education. However, Boud, Cohen and Sampson (2014) observed that unlike in other countries
like Germany, studying in UK costs more. This may be attributed to the high cost of living in England is more
than that in Germany. Apart from this, the reputation of the Universities is also more in the UK than in
Germany. In order to enrol in a University, the enrolment fees in the first year are about €670,000. This
signifies the high enrolment fees that UK charges from its students. According to Altbach (2015), even though
the country charges high enrolment for Universities, the quality of education in the UK is superior to that in
Germany. This may be because of the fact that most of the individuals pursuing to be a professor in the future
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prefer to teach in the universities of the UK. This is mainly due to the reputation that the universities hold in
the UK. Hence, the quality of education in the country is more than compared to Germany. Studying in the UK
provides for a logical step in the career of a student.
Higher education in Germany
On the other hand, Germany is a densely populated country than the UK. Hence, the number of
people enrolled for higher education in Germany is more than that in the UK. However, this is not the scenario
as the Universities in Germany are less than the number of Universities in the UK ( Hüther and Krücken, 2014).
Apart from this, the Universities are not as reputed as the Oxford University in the UK. It has been seen that
since 2007, the number of students enrolled for higher education in Germany has fallen. Most students prefer
to migrate to the UK, despite a high fees structure in the country. In this regard, the fess structure can be
analysed which provides evidence that in order to enrol a student in a University, enrolment fee of €493,000 is
required. This is much lesser than the enrolment fees for Universities in the UK. Dobbins and Knill (2017)
pointed out that the quality of education in Germany is less significant than that of the UK. The quality of
education is derived from the framework that is established in most of the federal states in the country.
Recent developments, however, have ensured that such establishment does not make decisions based on the
quality of education. Despite the poor education quality, the research conducted by the Universities of
Germany is higher than the UK. The research for German Universities is €12.7 billion while that of the UK
Universities are €7.2 billion. This is indicative of the fact that the Universities of Germany are getting the
recognition it deserved in the educational sector. Hence, it can be said that currently, the Universities of the
UK have more advantage than that in Germany.
Conclusion
Thus, based on the analysis of the fees and quality of education provided in both England and
Germany, it can be said that the preferred destination for higher education in England. This is mostly because
of the reputation of the Universities and the country and the scope of a bright future as a professor. In this
regard, students from Germany also travel to England for pursuing higher education. This can act as a
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consolidation for Germany as most of the students enrolled in British Universities are German by origin. This
provides German people with proper quality of education that may help them in future. Hence, England is
preferred over Germany for higher education despite an expensive fees structure.
Reference List:
Altbach, P., 2015. Perspectives on internationalizing higher education. International Higher Education, (27).
Boud, D., Cohen, R. and Sampson, J. eds., 2014. Peer learning in higher education: Learning from and with each
other. Routledge.
Dobbins, M. and Knill, C., 2017. Higher education governance in France, Germany, and Italy: Change and
variation in the impact of transnational soft governance. Policy and Society, 36(1), pp.67-88.
Hüther, O. and Krücken, G., 2014. The rise and fall of student fees in a federal higher education system: the
case of Germany. Oxford Studies in Comparative Education.
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